studies  in  the|fl 

Testament 


ROBERTSON 


KOv  I  ■■  1924 


Division    J:::;  o  c  i  (o  \ 


Sgct^'i'ii 


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f       Kin\/  -i  o  ]Q24 

Studies  in  the  New  Testament^/ 


A  HANDBOOK  FOR  BIBLE  CLASSES  IN 

SUNDAY  SCHOOLS.  FOR  TEACHER 

TRAINING  WORK,  FOR  USE  IN 

SECONDARY  SCHOOLS,  HIGH 

SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES 


The  Mediator  of  a  Better  Covenant' 


A.  T.  ROBERTSON,  A.M..  D.D.,  LLJ)., 

Professor  of  New  Testament  Interpretation  in  the  Southern 

Baptist  Theological  Seminary,  Louisville,  Ey. 


Sunday  School  Board  Southern  Baptist  Convention 

NASHVILLE.  TENNESSEE 
1915 


Copyrighted,  1915 

Sunday  School  Board 
Southern  Baptist  Convention 


TO 

J.  M.  FROST 

FOUNDER 

AND 

FIRST  SECRETARY 

OF  THE 

SUNDAY  SCHOOL  BOARD 

OF  THE 

Southern  Baptist 
Convention 


PREFACE. 


This  book  is  not  meant  for  technical  scholars 
nor  for  students  in  theological  seminaries,  who 
ought  to  know  all  that  is  here  given,  though  it  is 
not  always  true  of  them.  The  average  teacher  in 
the  Sunday  school,  the  adult  Bible  class,  boys  and 
girls  in  the  high  schools,  the  first  year  or  so  in  college, 
and  preachers  with  little  scholastic  training  are  the 
classes  kept  in  mind.  The  book  is  adapted  for 
use  in  Sunday  school  and  Bible  institutes  and  in  all 
teacher-training  work.  There  are  no  references  to 
books  of  any  kind  outside  of  the  Bible.  The  chap- 
ters are  divided  into  numerous  paragraphs,  each  para- 
graph dealing  with  a  single  idea.  The  purpose  of 
the  book  is  to  make  the  New  Testament  more  intel- 
ligible and  more  easily  taught  to  others.  The  connec- 
tion in  the  whole  wondrous  story  is  duly  emphasized. 
The  author  suggests  that  along  with  this  book  one  will 
need  for  further  study  a  "Harmony  of  the  Grospels," 
like  that  of  Broadus;  a  short  life  of  Christ,  like  his 
own  "Epochs  5n  the  Life  of  Jesus,"  or  Stalker's  "Life 
of  Christ,"  and  a  brief  life  of  Paul,  like  his  "Epochs  in 
the  Life  of  Paul,"  or  Stalker's  "Life  of  Paul."  The 
author's  "John  the  Loyal"  covers  in  detail  the  life 
of  John  the  Baptist.  But  by  the  help  of  the  maps 
and  a  New  Testament  one  can  study  this  volume  with 
no  other  books  at  hand.  The  Student's  Chronological 
New  Testament  is  specially  adapted  for  the  purpose. 
I  love  to  think  of  the  great  multitudes  of  men  and 
women  who  are  eager  to  know  about  Christ  and  love 
to  teach  what  they  know.  If  in  a  humble  way  I  can 
play  the  part  of  Aquila  and  Priscilla  with  any  Apollos 
who  has  the  gift  of  telling  accurately  the  things  about 
Jesus,  I  shall  be  repaid  a  thousandfold  for  writing 
these  chapters.  May  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  help  us  all 
to  know  this  wondrous  story,  to  live  it,  and  to  tell 
It  so  as  to  win  others  to  Christ. 

A.  T.  ROBERTSON. 
Louisville,  Ky. 


(^) 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Part  I.    The  Background. 

PAGE 

I.   The  Roman  World  B.C.  5 9 

II.    Life  in  Palestine  in  the  First  Century 

A.D 2^ 

Part  II.    The  Life  of  Christ. 

III.  The  Forerunner 49 

IV.  The  Messiah's  Birth  and  Training-. . .  62 
V.    The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus 79 

VI.    The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem 98 

VII.    The  Resurrection  of  Jesus 117 

Part  III.   The  Apostolic  History. 

VIII.    Power  for  the  New  Start 133 

IX.    The  New  Witness  for  Christ 151 

X.    The  Campaign  for  the  Gentiles  and  the 

Protest  of  the  Judaizers 162 

XL    Paul's  Gospel 181 

XII.    Paul's  Long  Imprisonment 198 

XIII.  The  Last  Years  of  Paul 218 

XIV.  The  Teaching  of  Peter  and  Jude. ...  231 
XV.   The  Priesthood  of  Christ 244 

XVI.    Final  Victory 257 

Questions  for  Review  and  Examina- 
tion   , 273 

(5) 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  THE  STUDY  OF  THIS  BOOK. 


Fob  those  who  wish  to  study  the  book  as  a  part  of 
the  Convention  Normal  Course,  the  following  directions 
are  given : 

1.  Lesson  Assignments.  Ordinarily  each  chapter 
will  constitute  a  suitable  lesson  assignment.  Two  or 
tnree  lesson  periods  should  be  given  at  intervals  to  a 
review  of  the  lessons  previously  covered.  Thus  classes 
meeting  daily  would  complete  the  study  of  the  book  in 
about  four  weeks,  while  classes  meeting  once  a  week 
would  require  about  four  months. 

2L   Examinations — 

(1)  The  teacher  will  conduct  a  written  examination 
at  the  close  of  the  study  of  the  book. 

(2)  The  questions  will  be  selected  by  the  class 
teacher  in  accordance  with  instructions  given  on  page 
273.  The  teacher  will  ask  that  each  one  sign  this  state- 
ment :  "I  have  neither  given  nor  received  help  during 
this  examination." 

(3)  Members  of  the  class  will  be  asked  to  answer 
the  questions  at  one  sitting  without  the  text-book  or 
help  of  any  kind. 

(4)  The  class  teacher  will  examine  the  papers  of  the 
class,  and,  on  blanks  which  will  be  furnished  for  the 
purpose,  will  send  the  names  of  those  who  make  the 
required  grade  of  70  per  cent  to  the  Baptist  Sunday 
School  Board,  161  Eighth  Avenue,  North,  Nashville, 
Tennessee.  The  proper  seal  will  be  sent  to  be  attached 
to  the  diploma. 

(5)  Individual  students  may  pursue  the  study  in 
their  own  way.  When  they  are  ready  for  the  examina- 
tion, they  will  apply  to  the  Sunday  School  Board  for 
a  list  of  questions  with  necessary  instructions.  The 
questions  will  be  selected  from  the  list  given  on  pages 
273-284. 

(6) 


PART  I. 
THE  BACKGROUND. 


CHAPTERS  OF  PART  I. 

I.    The  Roman  World  B.C.  5. 
II.    Life  in  Palestine  in  the  First  Century  A.D. 


CHAPTER  L 


THE  ROMAN  WORLD  B.C.  5, 


1.   On  the  Ruins  of  the  Past. 

The  Mediterranean  world  was  Roman  in  B.C. 
5,  but  this  was  true  as  the  outcome  of  centuries 
of  conflict  and  final  victory.  In  North  Africa, 
Carthage  had  finally  been  overcome  by  Rome  as 
a  result  of  the  long  Punic  Wars.  Greece  and 
Macedonia  had  likewise  been  conquered  by  Ro- 
man arms.  Then  the  western  part  of  Asia 
Minor  had  come  under  the  sway  of  the  Roman 
eagle.  The  circle  widened  till  Syria,  Palestine, 
and  Egypt  were  provinces  of  Rome  in  the  east, 
while  to  the  west  Spain  and  Gaul  were  the  spoils 
of  Julius  Caesar^  and  eveii  the  Island  of  Britain 
became  Roman.  Only  the  Germans  in  the  west,  the 
Parthians  in  the  far  east,  ihe  Goths  and  Huns  in 
the  north  offered  serious  resistance  to  Roman 
arms.  The  people  of  India  and  China  seem  too  far 
away  from  the  center  of  Mediterranean  life  to 
count.  The  Indians  of  North  and  South  America 
were  unknown.  But  even  so,  the  world  was  very 
old,  how  old  we  do  not  know.  Inscriptions  in 
Egypt  seem  to  some  to  show  civilization  5000  B.C. 
Tablets  and  monuments  in  Mesopotamia  seem  to 

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T?ie  Roman  World  B.C.  5.  H 

show  a  like  age  there.  Great  nations  had  passed 
into  oblivion.  The  empire  of  Alexander  the  Great 
rested  upon  centuries,  if  not  millenniums,  of 
Greek  life  reaching  back  beyond  Troy  to  Mycenae 
and  Crete  and  upon  the  Persian  empire  itself  the 
heir  of  the  Babylonians,  Assyrians,  Hittites, 
Phrygians,  and  other  peoples  of  Asia  Minor.  The 
Romans  became  the  heirs  of  the  conquests  of 
Alexander  in  Egypt,  Syria,  Asia  Minor. 

2.   A  Graeco-Roman  World. 

The  Romans  conquered  the  Greeks,  and  yet  in 
a  true  sense  the  Greeks  conquered  the  Romans. 
The  work  of  Alexander  had  already  spread  the 
Greek  language  and  Greek  customs  over  the  east- 
ern world.  The  unification  of  the  world  under 
Roman  rule  did  not  Romanize  this  world  of 
Alexander  so  much  as  it  Grecized  the  empire  o'l 
Rome.  Even  the  city  of  Rome  itself  had  Greek 
teachers,  Greek  plays,  and  the  Greek  language 
was  used  by  Paul  when  he  wrote  to  the  church 
in  Rome.  The  result  was  a  mingling  of  the  two 
civilizations  except  in  North  Africa  and  the  west 
(Spain,  Gaul,  Britain).  The  Romans  made  no 
effort  to  crush  out  the  influence  of  Greek  life  and 
thought.  On  the  contrary,  they  became  imitators 
of  Greece  in  literature  and  in  philosophy.  Thus 
Hellenism  became  the  main  characteristic  of  the 
Roman  world.  One  could  speak  Greek  and  be 
understood  almost  anywhere.  This  Koine  (com- 
mon language)  was  the  lineal  successor  of  the 
old  Greek  and  is  the  language  in  which  the  New 


X2  studies  In  the  New  Testament. 

Testament  was  written.  It  was  the  language  of 
tlie  common  people,  of  business,  of  life,  of  litera- 
ture (all  save  a  few  artificial  imitators  of  classical 
literary  Attic). 

3.    Education. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  think  of  the  Roman  world 
as  an  illiterate  age.  There  were  many  unedu- 
cated people,  beyond  a  doubt,  but  the  average 
intelligence  was  unusually  high.  There  were 
great  universities  like  those  at  Athens,  Tarsus, 
Pergamum,  Alexandria,  with  great  libraries,  as  in 
Alexandria  and  Pergamum.  Paul  may  have  felt 
the  influence  of  Athenodorus,  the  Stoic  philoso- 
pher, at  Tarsus.  There  were  schools  of  oratory 
as  at  Rhodes,  and  special  lecturers  on  philosophy 
or  oratory  who  often  traveled  from  city  to  city. 
In  Alexandria  grammar  had  received  special  at- 
tention and  Greek  philosophy  was  then  studied 
with  eagerness  save  by  the  Jews.  The  translating 
of  the  Hebrew  Old  Testament  into  Greek  in 
Alexandria  enabled  the  Greek-speaking  Jews  and 
Gentiles  also  to  read  for  themselves  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. Books  were  more  or  less  expensive,  since 
they  had  to  be  copied  by  hand,  but  the  scribes 
were  quite  expert  and  copy  establishments  (like 
our  publishers)  existed  in  various  educational 
centers.  The  flourishing  period  of  Attic  culture 
was  far  in  the  past,  but  Greek  writers  of  the 
Koine,  like  Polybius,  Diodorus,  Strabo,  showed 
that  the  language  had  not  lost  its  power.  The 
golden  age  erf  Latin  literature  had  just  closed. 


The  Roman  World  B.C.  5.  13 

Cicero,  Caesar,  Vergil,  Tibullus,  Lucretius,  Cor- 
nelius Nepos,  were  all  dead.  Horace  had  died 
only  B.C.  8.  Livy  is  still  living  and  Ovid  is 
writing  his  poems  at  Rome.  Juvenal  and  Tacitus 
are  not  yet  bom.  Greek  slaves  of  culture  are 
school-teachers  in  Rome  itself.  The  mental  alert- 
ness of  the  first  century  A.D.  may  be  seen  in  the 
fact  that  the  Christians  in  the  empire  were  chiefly 
from  the  middle  and  lower  classes,  and  yet  the 
Epistles  of  Paul  were  read  in  public  meeting  and 
were  expected  to  be  readily  understood.  There 
were  plenty  of  uneducated  people,  as  the  papyri 
amply  show,  but  education  was  emphasized,  and 
in  towns  like  Corinth  with  many  "newly  rich" 
often  affected  or  imitated. 

4.    Philosophy. 

Greek  philosophy  was  no  longer  a  matter  of 
mere  academic  interest,  but  had  received  a  dis- 
tinctly practical  turn.  The  Stoics  and  the  Epi- 
cureans divided  honors  for  the  popular  favor. 
Paul  disputed  with  them  in  the  Agora  of  Athens 
(Acts  17 :  18)  and  all  over  the  world  were  found 
exponents  of  these  two  systems.  Socrates  had 
called  men  away  from  mere  speculation  about  the 
external  universe  to  reflection  on  their  own  moral 
nature.  "Know  thyself,"  he  had  urged.  Plato 
carried  this  idea  further  and  urged  beauty  as  well 
as  duty.  Aristotle  sought  to  cover  all  human 
knowledge,  both  physics  and  metaphysics.  In 
revolt  from  all  this  speculation,  Epicurus  and 
Zeno  aimed  to  give  philosophy  a  more  practical 


14  Studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

turn.  In  the  midst  of  a  world  of  struggle  Zeno, 
while  pantheistic  in  theology,  taught  pride  and 
self-control  with  many  noble  precepts  (cf.  Seneca, 
Epictetus,  Marcus  Aurelius),  but  allowed  suicide 
in  case  of  failure.  Epicurus,  really  atheistic  as  to 
the  gods,  urged  pleasure  as  the  main  good  and 
the  importance  of  getting  it  while  one  had  the 
chance.  The  outcome  was  widespread  immoral- 
ity. These  two  practical  philosophers  have  today 
numerous  advocates  all  over  the  world.  In  Alex- 
andria the  Jews  of  culture,  like  Philo  who  came 
in  contact  with  the  Greek  philosophy,  sought  to 
combine  it  with  the  Old  Testament.  They  ex- 
plained Plato  by  means  of  Moses  through  the 
allegorical  method  of  exegesis  that  passed  over 
to  the  early  Alexandrian  teachers  and  preachers 
of  Christianity.  Philosophy  is  always  a  more  im- 
portant part  in  the  life  of  the  masses  than  they 
themselves  know. 

5.    Religion. 

The  growth  of  philosophic  studies  caused  a 
tendency  to  scepticism  concerning  the  gods  of 
Egypt,  of  Babylonia,  of  Phrygia,  of  Greece,  of 
Rome.  Socrates  and  Plato  created  a  yearning 
after  one  God  rather  than  faith  in  many.  There 
were  still  gods  in  plenty,  but  no  longer  the  child- 
like faith  in  them  seen  in  the  Homeric  poems. 
The  forms  of  worship  were  kept  up,  but  even  the 
priests  would  wink  at  each  other  on  the  street. 
Julius  Caesar,  Cato,  the  elder  Pliny,  Lucretius, 
Varro,  were  all  sceptics.     Cicero  was  in  doubt. 


The  Romcm  World  B.C.  5.  15 

The  Emperor  Augustus,  though  superstitious, 
was  an  unbeliever  and  was  himself  the  chief 
object  of  worship  in  the  empire.  Inscriptions 
show  such  terms  as  Lord,  Saviour,  and  even  God, 
applied  to  him.  He  allowed  himself  to  be  deified 
and  to  be  worshiped  with  images  and  temples 
dedicated  to  him.  This  "emperor-cult"  was  at 
first  the  chief  enemy  of  Christianity  and  early 
brought  the  Christians  into  collision  with  the 
Roman  authorities.  But  there  was  intense  dis- 
satisfaction and  yearning  for  a  better  faith,  as  it 
was  voiced  by  Vergil  in  his  fourth  Eclogue,  per- 
haps under  the  influence  of  the  Septuagint 
(Isaiah).  The  Eleusinian  mysteries  of  Greece 
had  taught  men  a  secret  faith  of  hope,  and  out 
of  the  East  later  (first  century  A.D.)  came  other 
mystery — religions  like  Mithraism  which  for  a 
couple  of  centuries  challenged  Christianity  in  its 
fight  for  the  masses.  These  mystery  religions  had 
their  redeemer-gods  (like  Isis  and  Osiris) — a 
doctrine  of  salvation,  a  baptism  of  blood  (Tauro- 
bolium),  and  a  sacred  meal  and  other  secret  and 
initiatory  rites  with  magical  powers.  The  votaries 
held  secret  meetings  at  night  and  had  ecstatic  ex- 
periences that  led  to  immorality.  In  fact,  the 
worship  of  Aphrodite  and  Isis  had  a  system  of 
priestesses  that  made  immorality  a  part  of  the 
worship.  There  were  many  religions  and  very 
little  religion.  Men  were  "without  Christ,  hav- 
ing no  hope  and  without  God  in  the  world" 
(Ephesians  2:  12). 


Ig  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

6.    Morals. 

There  was  ethical  teaching  in  abundance,  some 
of  it  very  good  as  in  the  Stoic  philosophy.  But 
there  was  no  real  connection  between  religion  and 
morals.  Indeed,  the  gods  themselves  were 
thought  to  consort  at  will  with  women  and  were 
utterly  mythical.  As  already  stated,  immorality 
was  a  regular  institution  in  the  temple  worship  of 
Aphrodite,  Astarte,  Isis,  and  other  goddesses,  as 
in  Buddhist  temples  in  India  today.  The  old  Ro- 
man divinities  were  not  quite  so  lewd  as  those  of 
Assyria,  Egypt  and  Greece,  but  the  Orontes  over- 
flowed the  Tiber.  With  Greek  and  oriental  phi- 
losophy and  religion  the  old  Roman  sturdiness 
of  character  broke  down  and  divorce,  once  un- 
known in  Rome,  became  the  rule.  The  picture 
of  Pompeian  life  preserved  on  the  walls  of  houses 
in  Pompeii  by  the  ashes  of  Vesuvius  is  so  vile 
that  women  are  not  allowed  to  see  it.  Seneca 
will  lament:  "Vice  no  longer  hides  itself;  it 
stalks  forth  before  all  eyes.  Innocence  is  no 
longer  rare;  it  has  ceased  to  exist."  Infanticide 
was  so  common  that  nothing  was  thought  of  it 
any  more  than  in  China  and  Japan  before  Chris- 
tianity entered  these  lands.  The  empire  was  said 
to  be  crimsoned  with  the  blood  of  infants.  PauFs 
indictment  of  the  Roman  world  in  Romans  i  and 
2  is  recognized  today  as  true  of  China.  "The 
whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness"  (i  John  5 :  19). 


The  Romtm  World  B.C.  5.  17 

7.   Society. 

There  were  wheels  within  wheels  then,  as  now. 
The  old  Roman  republic  had  given  place  to  the 
great  empire.  The  simple  habits  that  had  made 
the  Romans  great  had  vanished.  The  generals 
and  political  leaders  became  extremely  rich  as  a 
result  of  the  Roman  conquests.  Of  the  eighty- 
five  million  people  in  the  empire  only  seven  mil- 
lion were  in  Italy.  There  were  six  million  slaves 
in  the  empire.  There  was  a  large  freedman  class 
who  had  purchased  their  freedom  or  had  been  set 
free.  The  plebeians  were  free-born  and  held 
themselves  above  both  freedmen  and  slaves. 
There  was  no  middle  class  in  Roman  society,  but 
two  great  extremes  of  wealth  and  poverty.  The 
few  were  rich,  the  many  were  poor.  The  nobles 
were  wildly  extravagant  and  feasted  out  of  gold 
dishes.  Once  Cicero  and  Pompey  came  uninvited 
to  the  house  of  LucuUus  and  found  him  feasting 
on  a  four  thousand-dollar  meal.  The  masses  were 
pauperized  for  the  few  who  ground  them  to  the 
earth.  The  masses  in  Rome  clamored  for  bread 
and  games,  free  food  and  free  shows  at  the  cost 
of  the  state.  The  gladiatorial  shows  grew  in  size 
and  in  horror  to  satisfy  the  blood-thirstiness  of 
the  populace.  They  were  "living  pictures"  rather 
than  moving-pictures  of  cruelty.  Licentiousness 
and  cruelty  grew  apace.  Small  farms  disappeared 
and  great  landed  estates  took  their  place.  People 
crowded  to  the  cities.  Trade  guilds  were  or- 
ganized   as    a   defense    against   the    capitalists. 


Ig  studies  In  the  Ifeto  Testament. 

There  were  burial  clubs  and  all  sorts  of  fraternal 
organizations,  traveling  craftsmen  of  various 
sorts.  Then  the  race  problem  was  acute.  The 
Jews  stood  aloof  from  the  Gentiles  and  were  cor- 
dially disliked  by  them  in  return.  The  Greeks 
spoke  of  others  as  barbarians.  The  Romans  who 
were  citizens  held  themselves  above  those  who 
were  not,  freedmen,  slaves  or  what  not,  the  mot- 
ley crew  of  many  lands  ruled  by  Rome.  There 
was  no  democracy,  but  a  real  caste  system,  based 
on  money  and  power. 

8.    Business  Activity. 

The  Pax  Romana  which  came  with  the  con- 
quest of  all  the  Mediterranean  world  brought  a 
time  of  the  most  tremendous  business  activity 
ever  known  till  the  nineteenth  century.  The  gates 
of  Janus  were  closed,  but  the  door  of  commer- 
cial opportunity  was  open  all  over  the  world. 
Egypt  was  the  granary  of  the  empire,  but  trade 
came  from  India,  from  Spain,  from  the  Car- 
pathian mountains,  even  from  Britain.  Roman 
ships  swept  the  sea.  The  wonderful  Roman 
roads  like  the  Appian  Way  (part  of  it  still  in  use) 
and  the  Egnation  Way  put  to  shame  our  modern 
highways.  Not  so  much  can  be  said  for  the  inns 
which  were  often  mere  drinking  houses  with  bed- 
rooms attached,  exposed  to  thieves  or  courtesans. 
But  merchants  traveled  for  business.  Men  trav- 
eled for  pleasure,  for  knowledge,  for  health. 
There  were  factories,  wholesale  houses,  barbers, 
great  business  enterprises  like  those  of  the  present 


The  Roman  World  B.C.  5.  ^9 

day.  In  A.D.  33  a  great  panic  was  caused  by  the 
failure  of  the  banking  houses  of  Maximus  and 
Vibo  in  Rome,  due  to  the  downfall  of  Seuthes  and 
Son  in  Alexandria,  and  Malchus  and  Company  of 
Tyre.  The  papyri  give  interesting  details  of  the 
contracts  and  other  business  details  of  the  time. 
Many  of  the  wealthy  merchants  had  country 
villas  and  showed  great  munificence  and  benefi- 
cence. 

9.   Great  Cities. 

There  were  cities  of  importance  in  the  empire. 
Rome  itself  was  easily  first.  Its  foundation  is 
mythical  as  to  date,  but  is  usually  placed  at  754 
B.C.  But  it  is  a  wonderful  story,  how  the  little 
city  on  the  Tiber  slowly  grew  beyond  its  rivals 
till  it  ruled  Italy,  destroyed  Carthage  in  spite  of 
Hannibal,  conquered  Greece,  and  ruled  the  world 
till  slowly  success  itself  sowed  the  seed  of  decay 
and  ruin.  The  birth  rate  declined,  the  middle 
class  disappeared,  luxury  and  idleness  enervated 
the  upper  classes,  the  slaves  and  freedmen  felt  no 
responsibility  of  citizenship  against  the  hordes  of 
barbarians  from  the  North.  But  Rome  was  not 
the  only  city  of  importance.  Far  east  on  the 
Euphrates,  Babylon  still  lingered,  the  symbol  of 
oriental  splendor  and  power,  the  home  of  a  multi- 
tude of  Jews.  In  Egypt,  besides  the  old  cities  of 
Memphis  and  Thebes,  there  was  Alexandria,  the 
city  built  by  Alexander  the  Great,  and  now  the 
emporium  of  trade,  the  seat  of  a  great  university 
and  library,  the  meeting  place  of  east  and  west. 


20  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

Antioch  in  Syria,  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  Ephesus  in 
Asia,  Pergamum,  ancient  capital  of  a  great  king- 
dom, with  its  great  library ;  Philippi,  the  Roman 
colony  in  Macedonia;  Thessalonica,  the  thriving 
commercial  city  (still  existing  as  Saloniki)  ; 
Athens,  with  its  temples  and  groves  and  univer- 
sity and  ancient  glory;  Corinth,  once  destroyed 
by  Mummius,  but  restored  by  Julius  Caesar,  and 
now  a  flourishing  city  of  trade — these  are  but 
samples  of  the  city  life  of  the  empire.  Some 
were  colonies  like  Philippi  with  a  reproduction 
of  Roman  life,  military  outposts.  Others  were 
free  cities  like  Antioch  in  Syria ;  some  were  cap- 
ital cities  of  the  province  like  Ephesus.  Each 
had  its  own  method  of  government  like  the 
politarchs  of  Thessalonica  and  the  strategoi  of 
Philippi. 

10.    Militarism. 

It  was  the  army  that  dictated  to  the  people. 
There  was  also  a  great  navy,  which  cooperated 
with  the  army.  The  constant  tendency  had  been 
for  the  army  to  rally  round  its  general  and  push 
him  to  the  fore.  The  long  civil  wars  betv/een 
Sylla  and  Marius,  Caesar  and  Pompey,  Octavius 
and  Antony  had  greatly  weakened  the  empire 
and  the  strength  of  the  army.  Exhaustion  began 
to  tell,  and  the  army  became  mercenaries  or  hired 
soldiers  and  came  in  time  to  dictate  the  emperors 
and  to  override  the  senate.  With  the  help  of  the 
army  and  the  navy  the  emperor  kept  the  people 
under  control,  and  for  a  time  the  Germans  and  the 


The  Roman  World  B.C.  5.  21 

Parthians  at  bay.  But  the  militarism  that  made 
Rome  great  in  the  end  sapped  the  Hfe  away,  and 
could  not  hold  what  it  had  won. 

11.  The  Provinces. 

The  government  was  imperial  and  provincial. 
Roman  law  was  a  matter  of  slow  growth,  but 
became  the  basis  of  all  modern  jurisprudence. 
Under  the  republic  the  senate  ruled  the  country 
with  various  officers  (consul,  tribune,  pontifex 
maximus,  etc.),  and  proconsuls  for  the  provinces. 
A^hen  the  empire  displaced  the  republic,  there 
were  tvv^o  sets  of  provinces  (senatorial  and  im- 
perial). The  senatorial  provinces  were  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  senate  and  the  officer  was  termed 
proconsul,  as  in  Achaia.  The  imperial  provinces 
were  under  the  control  of  the  emperor,  and  the 
official  was  named  propraetor,  as  in  Syria.  Some- 
times a  province  was  shifted  from  one  rank  to  the 
other,  as  in  the  case  of  Cyprus,  which  was  sena- 
torial while  Sergius  Paulus  was  proconsul,  though 
previously  imperial  and  later  also.  The  actual 
government  varied  greatly  according  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  proconsul  or  propraetor.  Judea  was 
a  subordinate  imperial  province  with  a  procurator 
during  the  ministry  of  Jesus,  though  a  vassal 
kingdom  under  Herod  the  Great  when  Jesus  was 
born. 

12.  Caesar  Augustus. 

When  Octavius  defeated  Antony  at  the  battle 
of  Actium,  B.C.  31,  he  became  ruler  of  the  east 


22  Studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

as  well  as  of  the  west.  But,  like  Julius  Caesar 
when  he  conquered  Pompey  at  Pharsalia  B.C.  48, 
he  refused  to  be  called  king  (Rex).  He  was  the 
grand-nephew  of  Julius  Caesar  and  equally  adroit 
and  politic  in  preserving  the  forms  of  the  re- 
public while  the  power  all  centered  in  himself. 
The  senate  was  preserved,  but  its  work  was 
mainly  the  ratification  of  the  wishes  of  Octavius. 
The  office  of  dictator  was  abolished,  but  gradu- 
ally Octavius  gathered  unto  himself  all  the  chief 
functions  and  titles.  He  became  Praefect  of 
Morals,  then  Prince  of  the  Senate.  The  title  of 
Augustus  (revered)  was  conferred  upon  him. 
He  was  repeatedly  elected  consul.  He  was  made 
Tribune  of  the  people.  He  was  appointed  Ponti- 
fex  Maximus.  Finally  all  these  powers  were 
gathered  into  the  one  title  of  Imperator  (gen- 
eral), and  the  republic  was  dead  indeed.  Kaiser 
and  Czar  are  modern  variations  of  the  word  Cae- 
sar, as  Emperor  is  of  Imperator.  Augustus 
reigned  till  A.D.  14.  On  the  whole  he  was  a 
discreet  ruler  and  showed  wisdom  in  the  men 
that  he  gathered  round  him  like  Maecenas  and 
Agrippa.  He  instituted  many  reforms  and  made 
some  real  progress.  One  of  his  acts  was  a  period- 
ical census  every  fourteen  years  as  we  know  from 
the  papyri.  The  birth  of  Jesus  at  Bethlehem  in- 
stead of  Nazareth  was  due  to  the  taking  of  such 
a  census.  It  was  required  that  one  report  at  his 
home  town  (that  of  his  father).  The  census  was 
not  a  taxing,  but  an  enrollment  for  various  pur- 
ooses.    By  such  census  Augustus  learned  that  he 


The  Roman  World  B.C.  5.  23 

had  about  four  million  Roman  citizens  in  the 
empire.  He  was  fond  of  Herod  the  Great,  the 
cruel  king  of  Judea. 

13.    The  Jews  of  the  Dispersion. 

One  of  the  most  striking  features  of  the  Ro- 
man world  was  the  groups  of  Jews  in  all  the  chief 
cities  and  in  many  of  the  smaller  ones.  This  scat- 
tering (dispersion)  was  due,  first,  to  the  Assyrian 
and  Babylonian  captivity  and  then  to  Alexander's 
conquest.  Those  that  returned  to  Jerusalem  under 
Cyrus  were  but  a  small  handful  compared  to  the 
rest.  Alexander  the  Great  and  his  successors 
were  kind  to  the  Jews.  Especially  in  Alexandria 
and  in  Antioch  of  Syria  were  they  granted  special 
privileges.  They  took  easily  to  trade  and  became 
bankers  and  merchants  and  have  kept  their  grip 
on  the  world's  money  to  this  day.  They  flourished 
in  Babylonia  where  there  were  several  millions,  A 
million  more  lived  in  Alexandria  and  Eg^pt. 
Special  quarters  were  given  them  in  most  cities, 
even  in  Rome  where  successive  banishments  could 
not  keep  them  down.  They  came  to  be  hated  by 
the  Gentiles  because  of  their  commercial  rivalry 
and  success  and  because  of  their  religious  and 
social  exclusiveness.  They  represented  all  the 
twelve  tribes  (James  i :  i),  and  gradually  moved 
west  into  what  is  now  modern  Europe.  (See  Acts 
2:  6- 1 1  for  a  picture  of  the  regions  where  Jews 
lived.)  There  are  no  ''lost"  tribes.  Modern  Jews 
represent  all  the  tribes.  The  Eastern  Dispersion 
in  Babylonia  remained,  like  those  of  Palestine 


24  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

(Palestinian  or  Aramaean  Jews)  more  distinctly 
separate  and  true  to  the  traditions  of  the  fathers 
in  social  usages  (Aramaean  Jews).  The  Western 
Dispersion,  with  Alexandria  as  a  center,  were 
more  open  to  Greek  culture  and  spoke  the  Koine 
and  read  the  Septuagint  translation  of  the  Old 
Testament.  They  did  not  become  Hellenized,  but 
were  Hellenistic  Jews.  Among  the  early  Chris- 
tians at  Jerusalem  both  classes  of  Jews  (Hellen- 
ists and  Hebrews  or  Aramaeans)  appear.  The 
Hellenistic  Jews  of  the  west  were  in  general  still 
loyal  to  the  religious  customs  of  the  fathers.  Some, 
like  Saul  of  Tarsus,  even  became  Roman  citizens, 
but  still  gloried  in  the  history  and  hope  of  Israel. 
Even  Philo,  in  Alexandria,  fond  of  Greek  philos- 
ophy as  he  was,  insisted  that  the  Jewish  rites  and 
ceremonies  must  be  observed.  The  hundred  years 
of  Maccabean  independence  were  over  and  Judea 
was  again  a  subject  state.  Assyria,  Babylonia, 
Persia,  Alexander  the  Great,  Egypt,  Syria,  in 
succession,  had  ruled  Judea  since  the  Captivity. 


Tfie  Roman  World  B.C.  5.  25 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 


1.  The  chief  countries  conquered  by  Rome. 

2.  Causes  of  the  change  from  republic  to  em- 
pire. 

3.  Influence  of  Greece  on  the  empire. 

4.  Religion  in  the  Roman  world. 

5.  Culture  of  the  people. 

6.  Types  of  philosophy. 

7.  The  use  of  wealth. 

8.  The  chief  cities. 

9.  The  Roman  army  and  navy. 

10.  Citizens  and  slaves. 

11.  The  Emperor  Augustus. 

12.  The  Jews  in  the  Dispersion, 


(26) 


CHAPTER  n. 


LIFE  IN  PALESTINE  IN  THE  FIRST 
CENTURY  A.D. 


1.    Roman  Rule. 

It  was  in  B.C.  63  that  Pompey  the  Great,  re- 
turning from  war  with  Mithridates  of  Pontus, 
interfered  in  the  rivalry  between  Aristobulus  II, 
the  champion  of  the  Sadducees,  and  John  Hyrca- 
nus  II,  the  leader  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  feeble 
tool  of  the  designing  Idumean  adventurer,  An- 
tipater,  the  father  of  Herod  the  Great.  The  out- 
come was  the  defeat  of  Aristobulus,  the  capture 
of  Jerusalem  by  Pompey,  who  entered  the  temple, 
even  the  Holy  of  Holies,  to  see  what  was  there. 
He  retained  the  civil  rule  for  Rome,  but  left 
Hyrcanus  high  priest.  The  hundred  years  of 
Maccabean  independence  were  over  and  Judea  was 
again  a  subject  state.  Assyria,  Babylonia,  Persia, 
Alexander  the  Great,  Egypt,  Syria,  in  succession, 
had  ruled  Judea  since  the  captivity.  However, 
the  victory  of  Caesar  over  Pompey  at  Pharsalia, 
B.C.  48,  left  Hyrcanus  on  the  wrong  side,  but 
Antipater  skillfully  helped  Julius  Cassar  against 
Mithradates,  who  had  come  to  Egypt,  and  thus 
kept  his  power  and  won  Caesar  to  the  side  of 
Hyrcanus.      The    Romans  had  in  B.C.  190  de- 

(27) 


28  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

feated  Antiochus  the  Great  at  Magnesia,  and  thus 
won  the  larger  part  of  Asia  Minor.  Now  they 
control  Egypt  and  Palestine  and  all  of  Syria. 
They  govern  Palestine  on  the  whole  with  lenience 
and  moderation  till  Jewish  fanatics  (Zealots) 
raise  a  revolution  against  them.  The  government 
varies  in  form  and  scope.  Now  the  country  has 
a  vassal  king,  like  Herod  the  Great,  or  ethnarch, 
like  Archelaus,  or  a  procurator,  like  Pilate.  Now 
the  whole  of  Palestine  is  under  one  rule ;  now  it 
is  subdivided,  but  Rome  never  releases  her  hold 
upon  the  country.  Roman  soldiers  are  in  Jeru- 
salem, in  Cjesarea,  wherever  they  are  needed. 
Roman  money  is  used.  Roman  taxes  are  paid. 
Caesar  is  king,  whoever  is  the  titular  ruler.  The 
Latin  language  is  used  in  the  courts,  in  legal  docu- 
ments, for  money,  and  in  military  terms.  Some 
of  them  appear  in  the  New  Testament  (like 
legion,  centurion). 

2.   Greek  Influence. 

The  Maccabean  revolt,  B.C.  167,  was  due  to 
an  effort  to  Hellenize  the  Jews  by  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  the  Seleucid  king  of  Syria,  who 
succeeded  Alexander  the  Great.  This  part  of 
his  great  empire  was  Greek.  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
was  greatly  enraged  at  the  Jews  of  Alexandria 
for  not  helping  him  in  his  attack  on  Alexandria. 
When  the  Romans  ordered  him  out  of  Egypt, 
in  a  great  rage  he  vented  his  anger  on  Jeru- 
salem. He  destroyed  the  altars  of  Jehovah 
and  set  up  the  worship  of  Zeus  and  commanded 


Life  in  Palestine  First  Century.  29 

all  the  Jews  to  worship  Zeus  and  to  eat  swine's 
flesh  and  to  sacrifice  it  to  Zeus.  His  efforts  led 
to  fierce  opposition  on  the  part  of  Mattathias  and 
his  sons  (Judas,  Jonathan,  Simon).  They  finally 
won  religious  and  political  liberty,  but  their  suc- 
cessors (Aristobulus  I,  Alexander  Jannaeus) 
actually  became  philhellenes  themselves  and  intro- 
duced many  Greek  customs  among  the  people. 
Herod  the  Great  built  Greek  theatres  and  a  gym- 
nasium in  Jerusalem  and  fostered  Hellenism  so 
that,  in  spite  of  the  resistance  of  the  Pharisees, 
Greek  influence  gained  a  foothold  in  various  parts 
of  the  country.  The  region  of  Decapolis  was 
largely  Greek.  In  Galilee  were  many  who  spoke 
Greek.  The  coast  cities  were  open  to  Greek  life 
as  were  the  towns  around  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 
Greek  was  spoken  by  many  people  in  the  towns 
and  cities  and  was  understood  in  Jerusalem. 
Jesus  probably  spoke  both  Aramaic  and  Greek. 
It  was  a  bilingual  country  for  the  most  part. 

3.    Herod  the  Great. 

This  famous  Idumean  was  born  B.C.  74  and 
died  B.C.  4,  shortly  after  the  birth  of  Jesus.  He 
got  his  start  because  of  the  shrewd  diplomiacy  of 
his  father,  Antipater,  in  winning  the  favor  of 
Julius  Caesar.  Caesar  left  him  as  a  sort  of  per- 
sonal representative  to  watch  over  John  Hyrca- 
nus  II,  who  was  titular  ethnarch  and  high  priest. 
Antipater  took  control  of  civil  affairs  and  ap- 
pointed Herod,  though  only  twenty-five,  governor 
of  Galilee.    He  soon  brought  trouble  on  himself 


30  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

by  exercising  the  power  of  life  and  death  in  i/ie 
execution  of  Hezekiah,  a  troublesome  robber, 
without  consulting  the  Sanhedrin.  He  was  ar- 
raigned before  the  Sanhedrin  and  escaped  with 
his  life,  but  remembered  the  affront  till  he  could 
square  accounts.  After  the  death  of  Julius  Cae- 
sar and  the  defeat  of  Brutus  and  Cassius  at 
Philippi,  B.  C.  42,  Herod  skillfully  made  friends 
with  Antony,  who  got  the  east  as  his  share  of 
the  victory,  and  he  was  appointed  tetrarch  of 
Judea  B.C.  41  with  Hyrcanus  as  high  priest.  The 
Parthians,  however,  drove  Herod  out  of  Jerusa- 
lem and  set  up  Antigonus,  son  of  Aristobulus,  as 
king  in  Jerusalem.  In  his  flight  Herod  is  on  the 
point  of  suicide  in  his  despair  and  haste,  but 
he  finally  makes  his  way  to  Rome  to  plead  the 
cause  of  another  Aristobulus,  the  brother  of  Mari- 
amne  (granddaughter  of  Hyrcanus)  to  whom 
Herod  is  betrothed.  But  by  the  favor  of  Antony 
and  Octavius,  B.C.  40,  Herod  is  himself  named 
king  of  Judea  by  the  Roman  senate.  It  took  him 
three  years  to  win  his  crown  (B.C.  37),  and  to 
drive  away  the  Parthians  and  get  rid  of  Anti- 
gonus (slain).  He  married  Mariamne  and  ulti- 
mately had  ten  wives  in  all.  The  ears  of  Hyrca- 
nus had  been  cut  off  so  that  he  could  not  be  high 
priest  any  more.  Herod  had  all  the  Sanhedrin 
put  to  death  but  two  (Hillel  and  Shammai).  He 
has  a  bitter  struggle  with  Alexandra,  the  mother 
of  Mariamne  and  Aristobulus,  because  he  had 
Aristobulus  drowned.  Finally,  he  has  Hyrcanus, 
Mariamne,  Alexandra  and  Mariamne's  two  sons 


Life  in  Palestine  First  Century,  31 

(Alexander  and  Aristobulus)  put  to  death. 
His  sister,  Salome,  was  at  the  bottom  of  much 
of  this  trouble,  and  finally  she  caused  the  death 
of  Antipater,  another  son.  Herod  was  a  great 
builder  of  cities,  and  sought  to  please  the  Em- 
peror Augustus  Octavius,  whose  favor  he  pur- 
chased after  the  defeat  and  death  of  Antony. 
But  he  angered  the  Jews  by  his  adulation  of 
Augustus,  by  his  Hellenizing  tendencies,  by  his 
repairing  the  temple  (splendid  though  he  made 
it),  and  by  his  cruelties.  He  changed  his  will 
many  times  and  died  in  great  agony,  with  in- 
structions for  many  of  the  leading  Jews  to  be  put 
to  death  so  that  there  should  be  mourning  at  his 
funeral.  Josephus  does  not  mention  the  slaughter 
of  the  babes  at  Bethlehem,  but  that  is  a  mere  in- 
cident in  his  life  of  blood. 

4.    Herod's  Successors.  , 

His  will  was  carried  out  in  most  respects. 
Archelaus  was  to  be  king  of  Judea  (with  Idumea) 
and  Samaria,  but  this  was  subject  to  the  confirma- 
tion of  the  Emperor  Augustus.  Salome  was 
jealous  and  opposed  the  confirmation.  In  the 
end  Archelaus  was  made  ethnarch  with  the  prom- 
ise of  the  title  of  king  if  he  turned  out  well.  But 
he  did  not  turn  out  well,  and  A.D.  6,  ten  years 
after  his  appointment,  he  was  deposed  and  ban- 
ished. Judea  is  governed  by  Roman  procurators 
from  A.D.  6  to  A.D.  42,  when  Herod  Agrippa  I 
is  king  till  A.D.  44.  Then  there  are  procurators 
again  till  A.D.  70,  when  the  kingdom  of  Herod 


32  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

the  Great  was  divided.  Archelaus  got  about  half. 
Herod  Antipas  became  tetrarch  of  Galilee  and 
Perea,  which  position  he  held  from  B.C.  4  to 
A.D.  39.  He  was  a  better  ruler  than  Archelaus, 
and  when  Joseph  in  Egypt  heard  of  the  change  in 
Herod's  will,  by  which  Archelaus  ruled  in  Judea, 
he  went  back  to  Nazareth  instead  of  to  Bethle- 
hem. Jesus  spent  most  of  his  life  in  the  country 
of  Herod  Antipas.  He  divorced  his  wife,  the 
daughter  of  Aretas,  the  king  of  Arabia,  to  marry 
Herodias,  wife  of  Herod  Philip,  another  son  of 
Herod  the  Great,  herself  also  a  granddaughter  of 
Herod  the  Great.  The  death  of  John  the  Baptist 
lies  at  the  door  of  Herod  Antipas  and  Herodias. 
Philip,  tetrarch  of  Trachonitis  and  Iturea,  is 
yet  another  son  of  Herod  the  Great,  and  the  best 
of  them  all  as  ruler.  He  ruled  B.C.  4  to  A.D.  34. 
Jesus  was  in  his  territory  when  at  Bethsaida  and 
at  Caesarea  Philippi.  The  population  of  Palestine 
was  by  no  means  all  Jewish,  though  Jews  pre- 
dominated. Greeks  were  numerous  in  Decapolis, 
Trachonitis,  Perea,  Galilee,  and  in  parts  of  Judea. 
The  Samaritans  were  only  half-Jews,  and  all  the 
more  hated  for  that  reason.  The  Idumeans  had 
become  Judaized.  Then  there  were  the  Philis- 
tines. 

5.   Pontius  Pilate. 

Coponius  was  the  Roman  procurator  who  suc- 
ceeded Archelaus  when  he  was  deposed  as 
ethnarch.  He  ruled  A.D.  6-9.  Then  came  Mar- 
cus Ambivius    (9-12),  Annius  Rufus    (12-15), 


Life  in  Palestine  First  Century.  33 

Valerius  Gratus  (15-26).    Pilate  held  on  longest 
of  all  (26-36),  and  his  rule  covered  the  ministry 
of  Jesus  and  the  apostolic  period  till  the  conver- 
sion of  Saul  of  Tarsus.     Pilate  was  an  oppor- 
tunist,   a    corruptionist    and    a    weakling.      He 
greatly  desired  the  favor  of  the  Jews,  but  won 
their  contempt  and  hatred.    He  angered  them  by 
bringing   soldiers    from    Csesarea    (the   political 
capital  of  Judea  at  this  time)  into  Jerusalem  with 
ensigns  bearing  busts  of  the  Emperor  Tiberius. 
He  set  up  golden  shields  in  Herod's  palace  with 
inscriptions  written  on  them.    He  used  the  sacred 
money  called  corban  (Mark  7:  11),  to  build  an 
aqueduct  about  fifty  miles  long.    He  slew  some 
Galileans  as  they  were  offering  sacrifice  in  the 
temple,  so  that  their  blood  mingled  with  that  of  the 
sacrifices  (Luke  13:  i).   In  the  trial  of  Jesus  he 
finally  yielded  to  the  threat  of  the  ecclesiastical 
leaders  that  they  would  report  him  to  Cassar  for 
setting  free  a  man  charged    with    high    treason 
(John  19:  12),  after  repeated  declarations  of  the 
innocence  of  Jesus  (Luke  23  :  4,  22;  John  19:  4). 
Thus  he  kept  his  ofiice  and  sold  his  honor.    The 
Jews  kept  quiet  about  him,  but  curiously  enough 
he  was  finally  ordered  to  Rome,  A.D.  36,  on  the 
complaint  of  the  Samaritans  because  of  his  cruelty 
to  the  adherents  of  a  Samaritan  claimant  to  be 
Messiah.    Eusebius  relates  that,  arriving  in  Rome 
after  the  death  of  the  Emperor  Tiberius,  he  fell 
into  so  great  misfortune  in  the  reign  of  Gains  Cal- 
igula (A.D.  37-41),  that  he  committed  suicide  in 
banishment.  Mt.  Pilatus,  beside  Lake  Lucerne,  in 

8 


34  studies  in  the  New  Tettament. 

Switzerland,  is  the  traditional  place  of  his  death, 
and  the  legend  is  that  his  ghost  is  seen  on  the 
mountainside  washing  his  hands  when  a  storm 
strikes  the  mountain.  All  during  the  Roman  rule 
in  Judea  a  party  of  Herodians  schemed  for  the 
restoration  of  the  Herods. 

6.   The  Two  Herod  Agrippas. 

These  figure  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  and 
call  for  a  few  words.  Herod  Agrippa  I  was  the 
grandson  of  Herod  the  Great  and  Mariamne,  the 
Maccabean  princess,  and  son  of  Aristobulus.  He 
was  educated  in  Rome  and  was  the  playmate  of 
Tiberius'  grandson  (Tiberius)  and  of  Caligula, 
son  of  Germanicus,  the  emperor's  nephew.  He 
was  a  spendthrift  and  a  genuine  scapegrace,  and 
managed  to  live  off  of  his  kinspeople  but  was 
continually  in  debt.  He  was  finally  imprisoned  by 
Tiberius  for  impudent  talk  with  young  Caligula, 
who,  in  turn  on  becoming  emperor,  A.D.  37,  set 
Agrippa  free  and  made  him  king  of  the  tetrarchy 
of  Iturea  and  Trachonitis  (lately  ruled  by  Philip), 
and  also  of  Judea  and  Samaria.  The  jealousy  of 
Herodias  at  this  turn  of  affairs  led  to  the  re- 
moval of  her  husband,  Herod  Antipas,  from  the 
tetrarchy  of  Galilee  and  Perea,  A.D.  42,  so  that 
from  A.D.  42-44  Palestine  is  -cnce  again  united 
under  a  Maccabean  king.  He  rebuilt  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem  till  stopped  by  the  emperor.  He 
sought  to  please  the  Jews  by  persecuting  the 
Christians,  the  first  attack  of  the  state  upon  apos- 
tolic Christianity.     He  slew  the  apostle  James, 


£Afe  in  Palestine  First  Century.  35 

the  brother  of  John,  and  put  Peter  into  prison 
(Acts  12 :  if),  but  his  sudden  shameful  death  put 
an  end  to  his  career  (Acts  12:  2023).  His 
young  son,  Herod  Agrippa  H,  because  of  his 
youth  (only  seventeen),  was  not  appointed  king 
of  Palestine,  which  became  a  Roman  province 
with  Cuspius  Fadus  as  procurator  in  A.D.  44, 
Young  Herod  Agrippa  H  was  given  the  tetrarchy 
of  Chalcis  on  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Herod  of 
Chalcis,  and  in  A.D.  53  he  gave  that  up  and  re- 
ceived the  tetrarchies  of  Philip  and  Lysanias.  He 
had  the  oversight  of  the  temple  in  Jerusalem.  He, 
however,  took  the  side  of  the  Romans  in  the  war. 
He  died  about  A.D.  100,  the  last  of  the  Herods 
to  rule.  The  speech  of  Paul  before  this  ruler 
(Acts  26)  was  in  no  sense  a  trial,  but  a  sort  of 
courtesy  by  Festus  to  the  Jewish  ruler  on  a  visit 
from  Cassarea  Philippi  to  Cassarea.  He  kept  his 
sister  Bernice  as  his  mistress,  as  his  other  sister 
Drusilla  lived  with  Felix. 

7.   The  Temple. 

The  temple  in  Jerusalem  was  the  crown  and 
glory  of  Israel,  not  merely  of  Jerusalem.  Sit- 
uated on  Mount  Moriah,  it  dominated  the  city. 
The  building  was  first  erected  by  Solomon  and 
was  destroyed  by  Nebuchadrezzar.  The  second 
temple  was  erected  by  Zerubbabel  and  lasted  till 
the  time  of  Herod  the  Great.  He  built  the  third 
temple,  or  rather  began  it,  B.C.  19.  It  was  only 
completed  A.D.  65  and  was  destroyed  by  Titus 
A.D.  70.    The  Jews  were  so  jealous  of  the  temple 


3G  studies  in  the  yew  Testament, 

that  they  would  not  agree  for  Herod  to  tear  it 
down.  Hence,  it  was  rebuilt  in  sections,  and  the 
work  had  been  going  on  forty-six  years  when 
Jesus  came  to  the  passover  A.D.  26  (John  2 :  20). 
The  sanctuary  included  the  holy  place  and  the 
most  holy  place,  after  the  pattern  of  the  taber- 
nacle. The  court  of  Israel  surrounded  it.  Then, 
lower  down,  came  the  court  of  the^ women;  still 
lower,  was  the  court  of  the  Gentiles.  The  tower  of 
Antonia,  at  the  northwest  corner,  was  occupied 
by  Roman  soldiers.  The  walls  on  the  east  over- 
looked the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  to  the  south 
the  valley  of  Hinnom  (Gehenna),  where  fires 
burned  up  the  filth  of  the  city.  The  great  feasts 
brought  crowds  to  the  city  and  the  worship  cen- 
tered in  the  temple.  The  hours  of  prayer  were 
nine,  twelve  and  three.  The  priests  served  in 
turn  (cf.  Zacharias)  and  an  elaborate  ritual  of 
sacrifice  was  observed.  There  were  offerings  for 
sins  of  omission  and  of  commission,  for  the  rich 
and  the  poor.  In  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  were 
stalls  for  the  sheep  and  doves  and  the  money- 
changers for  the  convenience  of  the  Jews  of  the 
Dispersion.  The  religious  and  social  life  of  the 
Jews  centered  in  this  wonderful  temple  with  all 
its  glory.  They  felt  that  the  very  Presence  of 
Jehovah  was  over  the  Mercy  Seat.  The  high 
priest  alone  was  allowed  to  enter  the  Holy  of 
Holies,  and  that  only  once  a  year. 


Life  in  Palestine  First  Century.  37 

8.  The  Great  Feasts. 

The  feast  of  purim  (cf.  Esther  9 :  26)  occurred 
a  month  before  the  passover,  and  was  observed 
at  home  or  in  the  home  synagogue.  It  was  a 
season  of  rejoicing  over  the  fate  of  Haman  and 
the  rescue  of  the  Jews  from  his  plot.  The  feast 
of  the  passover  occurred  in  the  spring  (corre- 
sponding to  our  Easter),  and  varied  each  year 
with  the  coming  of  the  full  moon.  It  commemo- 
rated the  deliverance  from  Egypt  and  was  the 
great  festival  of  the  year,  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread,  following  for  a  week  after  the  offering  of 
the  paschal  lamb.  All  Jews  who  could  do  so 
came  to  Jerusalem  then,  often  many  hundreds  of 
thousands.  The  feast  of  pentecost  came  fifty 
days  later.  It  was  the  feast  of  the  first  fruits. 
About  the  end  of  September  came  the  feast  of 
tabernacles  (or  booths),  when  the  people  came 
and  dwelt  in  booths  in  gratitude  for  the  year's 
harvest.  The  Day  of  Atonement  (sometimes 
called  New  Year's  Day)  was  the  most  solemn 
day  of  the  year  for  the  Jews,  the  crown  of  the 
Levitical  system,  when  the  high  priest  made  his 
annual  entrance  into  the  Holy  of  Holies.  Towards 
the  close  of  December  came  the  feast  of  dedica- 
tion, in  honor  of  the  re-dedication  of  the  temple 
by  Judas  Maccabeus  after  its  recovery  from  the 
profanation  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes. 

9,  The  Sanhedrin. 

This  supreme  court  of  the  Jews  was  composed 
of  seventy-one  members,  and  the  members  were 


38  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

called  elders.  Both  Pharisees  and  Sadducces  be- 
longed to  it,  and  a  good  deal  of  rivalry  existed. 
The  members  came  from  the  chief  priests  and 
scribes.  Shortly  before  the  trial  of  Jesus  the 
power  of  life  and  death  was  taken  away  from 
the  Sanhedrin  and  reserved  for  the  Roman  pro- 
curator. In  the  Gospels  and  Acts,  Caiaphas,  the 
high  priest,  is  the  president  of  the  Sanhedrin. 

10.   The  Synagogue. 

One  of  the  great  institutions  of  Judaism  was 
the  synagogue  which  arose  during  the  exile  in 
Babylon,  when  the  people  were  deprived  of  the 
worship  in  the  temple.  It  was  both  a  school  of 
the  Bible  and  a  place  of  worship.  A  common 
name  for  it  was  "place  of  prayer"  (cf.  Acts  i6: 
13).  Wherever  there  were  Jews  enough,  they 
had  a  synagogue.  When  the  Jews  were  few  in 
number,  as  at  Philippi,  the  place  of  prayer  might 
be  outside  of  the  town,  by  a  stream,  to  facilitate  the 
ceremonial  ablutions.  In  some  cases  the  build- 
ing was  outside  of  the  city  because  of  opposition 
by  the  city  authorities,  as  at  Babylon  at  first,  or 
to  avoid  the  pollutions  of  the  Gentile  city.  But 
custom  varied  about  it.  The  Jews  were  fond  of 
worshipping  by  the  seashore.  In  Jerusalem  there 
were'  some  four  hundred  synagogues.  Various 
groups  of  Jews  in  the  city,  as  Cyrenians,  Alex- 
andrians, Cicilians,  had  separate  synagogues 
(Acts  6:  9).  There  was  a  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue who  had  charge  of  the  worship  and 
the  teaching.      Services  were  held  on  the  Sab- 


lAfe  in  Palestine  First  Century.  39 

bath  and  once  or  twice  on  week  days.  The 
young  were  taught  the  Old  Testament  (cf.  our 
Sunday  school).  The  Old  Testament  was  read 
in  the  Hebrew  and  explained  in  the  Aramaic.  In 
the  communities  where  Greek  was  understood 
the  Scripture  would  be  read  in  Greek.  An  oppor- 
tunity was  allowed  for  exposition  of  the  Scripture 
read.  Jesus  and  Paul  often  took  advantage  of 
this  privilege  to  preach  the  gospel.  At  first  the 
Christians  continued  to  worship  in  the  synagogue 
and  thus  reached  also  many  devout  Gentiles  who 
attended. 

11.   The  Canon. 

The  Jews  of  Palestine  had  a  threefold  collec- 
tion of  Hebrew  Scripture  (the  law  of  Moses,  the 
prophets,  the  psalms,  Luke  24:  44),  which  cor- 
responds practically  with  the  present  Old  Testa- 
ment. They  differed  about  the  acceptance  of 
Ecclesiastes  and  the  Song  of  Solomon.  In  Alex- 
andria and  the  west  generally,  where  the  Septua- 
gint  was  used,  the  Apocrypha  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment was  added.  The  Septuagint  circulated  also 
in  Palestine  and  is  quoted  in  the  New  Testament 
more  frequently  than  the  Hebrew  text.  Paul  and 
James,  in  particular,  seem  to  be  acquainted  also 
with  some  of  the  books  in  the  Old  Testament 
Apocrypha.  There  were  also  a  number  of 
apocalypses  after  the  pattern  of  Daniel  that  were 
widely  used,  though  not  part  of  the  canon.  These 
books  (like  2  Esdras,  the  book  of  Enoch,  Testa- 
ments   of   the    Twelve    Patriarchs,    the   Jewish 


40  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

Sybilline  Oracles)  were  presented  under  the 
names  of  older  saints  to  gain  a  hearing,  and  are 
doubtful  as  to  date.  They  present  the  less  cere- 
monial and  formal  and  more  passionate  and  spir- 
itual side  of  Jewish  life.  They  appeal  from  the 
woes  of  the  present  to  the  promises  of  future 
good  (eschatolog)')  and  deal  largely  in  symbols 
(of.  the  Book  of  Revelation).  The  Targums  are 
paraphrases  or  interpretations  of  the  Hebrew  Old 
Testament  in  Aramaic.  The  Talmud  is  com- 
posed of  the  Mishna  (comment  on  the  Old  Tes- 
tament), and  the  Gemara  (comment  on  the 
Mishna),  but  none  of  it  was  written  till  200  A.D. 

12.   The  Oral  Law. 

The  instruction  (called  Midrash)  about  the 
canonical  books  was  of  this  sort.  The  Halakah 
was  what  was  obligatory  (rules  of  conduct),  the 
Haggadah  was  what  was  illustrative  or  anedotal 
and  not  binding.  This  oral  law  was  the  tradi- 
tion of  the  elders  which  the  Jews  of  Christ's  time 
came  to  put  in  the  place  of  the  Old  Testament 
(Mark  7:9,  13).  They  covered  up  the  Word  of 
God  with  their  comments  about  it.  Finally  they 
regarded  the  comment  as  of  more  value  than  the 
text  itself.  Out  of  this  came  the  Talmud  at  last, 
when  much  of  it  was  written  down.  They 
claimed  at  last  that  the  oral  law  came  from  Moses. 
Most  of  this  oral  teaching  is  extremely  tedious 
and  minutely  hairsplitting  over  petty  points. 


Life  in  Palestine  First  Century,  41 

13.  The  Scribes. 

The  Old  Testament  does  not  know  these 
teachers  of  the  law.  They  arose  during  the  exile. 
They  are  students  and  teachers  of  the  oral  and  of 
the  written  law  and  correspond  to  our  modern 
preachers  and  lawyers  combined.  They  are  some- 
times termed  lawyers.  They  were  a  powerful 
class  of  professional  teachers  and  trained  up 
pupils  (disciples)  to  carry  on  their  work.  They 
were  usually  Pharisees,  but  not  always,  as  the 
priests  and  Levites  were  usually  Sadducees. 

14.  Two  Schools  of  Theology, 

In  Jerusalem  the  Pharisees  had  two  schools  of 
theology,  popularly  called,  respectively,  the 
school  of  Hillel  and  the  school  of  Shammai.  Hillel 
was  the  grandfather  of  Gamaliel  I,  under  whom 
Paul  studied.  His  school  represented  a  more  lib- 
eral type  of  Pharisaism,  while  that  of  Shammai 
follows  the  stricter  interpretation.  They  are 
sometimes  called  the  "Two  Pairs."  The  schools 
met  in  the  temple  courts  and  the  rabbis  trained 
here  in  current  Pharisaic  orthodoxy  were  those 
who  opposed  the  teaching  of  Jesus.  They  dis- 
liked the  Apocalyptic  writers  as  well  as  the  Sad- 
ducees. Both  of  the  schools  were  quite  strict 
from  the  standpoint  of  Philo  in  Alexandria. 

15.  The  Pharisees. 

This  sect  was  originally,  like  the  Sadducees, 
a  political  party  also,  till  the  Romans  took  over 


42  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

all  state  affairs.  Their  origin  is  obscure,  but  they 
were  the  exponents  of  traditional  Judaism,  as  op- 
posed to  the  Hellenizing  tendencies  of  the  times 
and  the  strict  position  of  the  Sadducees  against 
the  oral  law.  The  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  had 
keen  political  rivalry  for  power  under  the  later 
Maccabees.  The  Pharisees  finally  won  the  ear 
of  the  masses  and  were  aggressive  in  their  defense 
and  promulgation  of  Judaism.  The  two  schools 
of  Hillel  and  Shammai  represent  two  tendencies 
that  appear  in  the  Gospels.  Some  Pharisees  seem 
friendly  to  Jesus  (school  of  Hillel),  others  are 
violently  hostile  (school  of  Shammai).  Probably 
the  latter  are  those  especially  denounced  as  hypo- 
crites by  John  the  Baptist  and  by  Jesus.  But  both 
schools  laid  the  emphasis  on  the  external  and  the 
ceremonial  to  the  neglect  of  the  inward  and  spir- 
itual. They  expected  a  political  Messiah  and  a 
political  kingdom  of  God.  Most  of  Pharisaic 
teaching  is,  of  course,  true. 

16.   The  Sadducees. 

They  are  largely  negative  in  the  rejection  of 
the  oral  law,  the  denial  of  the  resurrection  and 
of  angels  and  of  divine  sovereignty  and  of  the 
future  life,  all  Of  which  the  Pharisees  affirmed. 
They  became  also  the  champions  of  the  Graeco- 
Roman  culture,  captured  most  of  the  priestly 
class,  and  were  a  sort  of  religious  and  intellectual 
aristocracy.  Annas  and  Caiaphas  were  Saddu- 
cees and  the  chief  priests  generally.  Their  num- 
ber was  small  but  influential. 


Life  in  Palestine  First  Century.  43 

17.  The  Essenes. 

This  curious  sect  withdrew  to  the  wilderness 
of  Judea,  eschewed  marriage,  kept  aloof  from  the 
temple,  and  were  a  mystical  group  who  combined 
some  Pharisaic  beliefs  with  Persian  and  Greek 
philosophy  and  oriental  religion  (worship  of  the 
sun).  They  were  ascetic  in  life  and  fatalistic 
in  doctrine  (opposing  the  Sadducees),  while  the 
Pharisees  held  to  divine  sovereignty  and  human 
free  agency.  The  effort  to  show  that  John  the 
Baptist  was  an  Essene  has  not  succeeded. 

18.  The  Publicans. 

The  Romans  employed  a  class  of  men  termed 
publicans  (public  servants,  puhlicani)  to  collect 
the  taxes  for  them.  The  Jews  who  did  this  were 
very  much  disliked  and  were  regarded  almost  as 
traitors.  Besides,  many  of  them  used  extortion 
and  graft  and  greatly  oppressed  the  people  (cf. 
the  charge  by  John  the  Baptist  and  the  confession 
of  Zaccheus).  Therefore  they  were  coupled  with 
"smners"  and  "harlots"  in  popular  estimation. 

19.  Agrfoutture. 

Palestine  was  an  agricultural  country,  the  land 
of  the  olive,  the  fig  and  the  vine.  In  the  valleys 
wheat  and  barley  were  cultivated.  The  land  was 
fertile  when  handled  properly  and  the  Jews  were 
skillful  farmers.  Sheep  were  reared  in  large 
numbers  as  well  as  goats.  The  life  of  the  shep- 
herd was  typical  of  the  hill  country.  It  was  in 
the  Dispersion  that  the  Jews  learned  to  become 
merchants  and  bankers. 


44  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

20.  The  Condition  of  Women. 

It  was  far  better  than  in  most  oriental  lands. 
Motherhood  was  glorified  and  children  were 
counted  as  treasures  from  the  Lord.  Women 
were  not  considered  accursed  nor  treated  as 
slaves.  They  were  the  home-makers  and  the 
teachers  of  the  young.  Occasionally  (Miriam 
and  Deborah)  they  sprang  to  the  fore  as  leaders, 
but  in  Palestine  woman  had  not  won  the  position 
of  freedom  which  Christianity  has  given  her.  Je- 
sus rose  above  the  prejudices  of  the  times  in  his 
attitude  toward  woman. 

21.  The  Zealots  and  the  Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

This  tremendous  event  took  place  A.D.  70,  when 
Titus,  the  Roman  general,  overcame  the  Jews 
who  had  revolted  against  Rome.  The  Zealots 
were  responsible  for  this  revolt  with  its  sad  out- 
come. The  downfall  of  Jerusalem  with  the 
destruction  of  the  temple  marked  a  new  era  in 
Jewish  history.  The  Sadducees  disappeared. 
The  gorgeous  worship  in  the  temple  vanished. 
Judaism  had  to  readjust  itself  to  the  new  relation 
with  Christianity  and  heathenism.  The  Jewish 
state  was  at  an  end. 

22.  List  of  Roman  Emperors  in  the  First  Century. 

Augustus  till  A.D.  14;  Tiberius  till  A.D.  37; 
Caligula  till  A.D.  41 ;  Claudius  till  A.D.  54 ;  Nero 
till  A.D.  68. 

After  Nero  came  the  brief  reigns  of  Galba, 
Otho,  Vitellius. 


Ufe  in  Palestine  First  Century.  45 

Vespasian  made  emperor  A.D.  69 ;  Titus  made 
emperor  A.D.  79;  Domitian  made  emperor  A.D. 
81 ;  Nerva  made  emperor  A.D.  96;  Trajan  made 
emperor  A.D.  98. 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  Date  of  the  conquest  of  Palestine. 

2.  Proconsul,  propraetor,  procurator. 

3.  The  Herods. 

4.  The  languages  used  in  Palestine. 

5.  Divisions  of  Palestine  during  the  ministry 
of  Jesus. 

6.  Pontius  Pilate. 

7.  The  Feasts. 

8.  The  Sanhedrin. 

9.  The  synagogue. 

10.  The  Jewish  literature. 

11.  The  Traditions  of  the  Elders. 

12.  The  Scribes. 

13.  Theological  Teaching. 

14.  The  Pharisees. 

15.  The  Sadducees. 

16.  The  Essenes. 

17.  Social  life  in  Palestine. 

18.  Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

19.  Roman  emperors  of  the  First  Century  A JD. 


PART  II. 
THE  LIFE  OF  CHRIST. 


CHAPTERS  OF  PART  11. 

III.  The  Forerunner. 

IV.  The  Messiah's  Birth  and  Training. 
V.    The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus. 

VI.    The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem. 
VII.    The  Resurrection  of  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  in. 


THE  FORERUNNER. 


1.   Zacharlas  (Luke  1:  5-23,  62-79). 

The  picture  of  this  aged  priest  waiting  for  his 
turn  to  serve  in  the  temple  is  an  illustration  of 
how  God  works  with  men.  He  was  to  fulfill 
his  duty  in  ordinary  course  and  in  so  doing  he 
met  the  angel  Gabriel  with  his  great  message. 
Thus  the  New  Testament  era  opened  with  the 
supernatural.  God  reached  forth  his  hand  to  pre- 
pare a  way  of  righteousness  for  men,  the  gospel 
of  grace  to  take  the  place  of  the  bondage  of  the 
law.  The  doubt  of  Zacharias  was  punished  by 
his  temporary  dumbness.  The  people  knew  by 
his  signs  that  he  had  seen  a  vision.  The  message 
of  the  angel  described  in  bold  outline  the  charac- 
ter and  work  of  the  promised  son.  Zacharias 
was  old  before  he  was  called  upon  to  serve  in  the 
temple.  He  was  righteous  and  upright  and  shows 
in  his  address,  when  his  tongue  was  loosed  at  the 
naming  of  John,  a  rich  knowledge  of  the  prophets 
and  a  spiritual  insight  into  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion. He  was  certainly  not  a  skeptical  Sadducee 
nor  a  reactionary  Pharisee.  He  may  have  been 
under  the  influence  of  the  apocalyptic  writings 
till  he  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  His  piety 
was  of  a  genuine  type. 

*  (49) 


50  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

2.  Elizabeth  (Luke  1:  5,  24f,  39-45,  57-61). 

This  aged  woman  bore  herself  nobly  in  her 
day  of  pride  and  glory.  She  was  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  recognized  the  purpose  of  God 
concerning  her  and  Mary.  The  meeting  of  these 
two  women  was  one  of  holy  joy.  She  had  evi- 
dently been  told  the  message  of  Gabriel  to  Zach- 
arias  (by  writing,  as  he  was  now  dumb),  and 
believed  it  wholly  and  insisted  on  the  name  John 
for  the  child.  She  was  worthy  to  be  the  mother 
of  the  great  reformer  and  preacher  and  to  walk 
by  the  side  of  Zacharias. 

3.  The  Home  in  the  Hills  (Luke  1:  39). 

Somewhere  in  the  hill  country  of  Judea  this 
pious  couple  lived.  Here  they  reared  the  child 
of  promise  with  glowing  hope  in  their  hearts.  We 
must  think  of  many  a  Scripture  lesson,  many  a 
walk  in  the  hills,  many  a  talk  about  (jod's  pur- 
pose for  the  growing  boy.  There  was  the  in- 
evitable pang  in  the  hearts  of  Zacharias  and  Eliza- 
beth, for  their  very  age  made  it  certain  that  they 
would  not  live  to  see  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise 
in  the  work  of  John.  They  could  only  rear  him 
for  (}od  and  then  go,  but  they  could  go  in  trust 
and  confidence. 

4.  Waiting  in  the  Desert  (Luke  1:  80). 

Little  is  told  of  these  years.  He  "was  in  the 
deserts  till  the  day  of  his  shewing  unto  Israel" 
(Luke  1 :  8o).  It  is  practically  certain  that  John 
waited  till  the  death  of  his  parents  before  he  be- 


The  Forerunner.  52 

took  himself  to  the  wilderness.  Perhaps  they  had 
suggested  this  course  to  him  as  a  suitable  prepara- 
tion for  his  great  work.  There  he  could  reflect 
on  the  Old  Testament  prophecies,  commune  with 
God,  and  search  his  own  spirit.  The  Essenes 
dwelt  in  certain  parts  of  the  wilderness  of  Judea, 
but  there  is  no  evidence  of  their  peculiar  tenets 
in  John's  preaching.  He  led,  of  necessity,  an 
abstemious  life  of  simplicity  and  healthfulness. 
The  desert  left  many  marks  on  his  preaching  in 
the  illustrations  drawn  from  life  (the  vipers,  the 
rocks,  the  tree,  the  axe,  etc.).  It  is  hard  to  wait, 
but  John  kept  watching  for  the  call  to  cry.  He 
was  full  thirty  years  old  before  it  came. 

5.   Crying  In  the  Wilderness  (Matthew  3:  1-4;  Mark 
1:  2-4;  Luke  3:  If;  John  1:  23). 

The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  John  and  he 
was  ready  for  it.  He  had  been  listening  eagerly 
for  it.  He  came  to  the  region  round  about  Jor- 
dan, going  farther  north  to  be  near  the  water. 
The  wilderness  of  Judea  embraced  about  a  third 
of  Judea  proper.  It  extended  from  a  little  north 
of  Jericho  down  to  the  south  end  of  the  Dead  Sea. 
It  was  not  destitute  of  vegetation  and  some  people 
lived  in  it,  desolate  as  much  of  it  was.  The  River 
Jordan  is  one  of  the  main  features  of  Palestine. 
There  were  many  fords  up  and  down  the  river 
suitable  for  baptizing  the  great  crowds.  John 
was  a  striking  figure  in  his  rough  robe  of  earners 
hair  cloth,  reminding  his  hearers  of  Elijah  of  old. 
It  was  a  lone  cry  and  a  forlorn  one,  but  he  be- 


52  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

lieved  sincerely  in  his  mission.  He  dared  to  an- 
nounce a  new  era  and  to  call  men  to  repentance. 
He  did  this  before  he  saw  or  apparently  knew 
the  Messiah  in  person.  He  had  sublime  faith  in 
God's  message  to  him.  He  claimed  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  and  announced 
the  advent  of  the  Messianic  reign,  the  realization 
of  the  hope  that  had  cheered  Israel  through  its 
darkest  hours.  The  very  daring  of  the  man 
created  a  sensation.  Soon  all  Judea  and  Jerusa- 
lem had  gone  to  the  wilderness  to  see  and  hear 
this  new  and  strange  preacher  from  the  hills. 

6.  Rebuking  the  Age  (Matthew  3:  5-10;  Mark  1:  4-6; 
Luke  3:  3-14). 

Like  the  prophets  of  old,  he  lashed  the  people 
for  their  sins.  They  deserved  his  stern  words, 
and  they  knew  it.  The  multitudes  were  smitten 
in  conscience  as  John  called  upon  them  to  "turn" 
("repent,"  a  very  unfortunate  translation).  He 
urged  the  nearness  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  as 
reason  for  wholesale  turning  to  the  Lord.  The 
people  responded  in  great  throngs,  confessing 
their  sins.  John's  new  ordinance  of  baptism 
challenged  the  sincerity  of  all.  The  outward  sign 
symbolized  the  inward  turning  to  God  as  Paul 
explained  later  (Romans  6:  4f),  death,  burial, 
and  resurrection.  As  the  crowds  came  up  out  of 
the  Jordan  they  witnessed  to  the  world  that  they 
had  left  the  old  life  behind  and  had  entered  upon 
the  new  life  of  allegiance  to  the  Messiah  who 
was  at  hand.    The  Jews  later  had  proselyte  bap- 


The  Forerunner.  53 

tism  (immersion  also),  but  we  do  not  know 
whether  it  was  used  so  early  as  this.  The  heathen 
religions  also  had  ordinances  of  initiation  in  water 
(and  even  in  blood  of  bulls,  cf.  the  tatirobolium 
of  Mithraism),  but  John's  baptism  had  no  con- 
nection with  any  of  these.  He  had  no  ecclesias- 
tical relations  with  priest  or  rabbi,  but  derived  his 
authority  and  his  ordinance  from  God.  In  reality, 
he  was  treating  the  Jews  as  heathen  in  demand- 
ing that  they  repent  and  be  baptized.  He  dis- 
counted their  claim  to  be  children  of  Abraham 
as  not  sufficient.  He  thus  indicted  the  whole 
age  (Jew  and  Gentile).  The  religious  leaders 
(Pharisees  and  Sadducees)  of  the  day  came  to 
see  for  themselves  what  it  was  about,  but  with 
no  thought  of  repentance  or  baptism.  John  met 
them  with  scathing  exposure  of  their  hypocrisy : 
'Ye  offspring  of  vipers,"  he  cried,  "who  warned 
you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come?"  He  had 
seen  the  vipers  scurry  to  the  rocks  when  in  dan- 
ger from  fire.  The  only  hope  for  them  was  to 
bring  forth  fruits  worthy  of  repentance.  These 
bigoted  ecclesiastics  were  largely  responsible  for 
the  lamentable  condition  of  the  people  as  to  reli- 
gion and  morals.  John  is  equally  pointed  in  his 
remarks  to  the  publicans  with  their  graft,  and  the 
soldiers  with  their  high-handed  oppression.  It 
was  plain  to  see  that  a  man  as  well  as  a  prophet 
had  appeared  in  Israel,  one  who  stood  unabashed 
before  those  in  high  stations,  who  understood  the 
weakness  of  the  men  of  his  day,  and  who  had 
the  courage  to  lay  them  bare.    A  new  era  had 


54  studied  in  the  New  Testament. 

dawned,  a  time  of  pulsing  reality  instead  of  dry 
rabbinism  or  vague  apocalypticism.  John  struck 
the  moral  nerve  and  it  twitched. 

7.  Picturing  the  Messiah  (Matthew  3:  llf;  Mark  1: 

7f;  Luke  3:  15-18). 

The  blazing  power  of  John's  message  led  many 
to  wonder  if  he  were  not  himself  the  Messiah 
(Luke  3:  15).  But  John  would  have  none  of 
this  flattery.  He  described  the  Messiah  as  com- 
ing after  him  and  as  far  mightier  than  he,  as  one 
the  latchet  of  whose  shoes  he  was  unworthy  to 
stoop  down  and  unloose.  He  shall  baptize  with 
the  Holy  Spirit  and  with  fire,  probably  with  the 
double  notion  of  blessing  and  of  judgment.  He 
carries  the  picture  out  by  the  illustration  of  the 
fan  that  separates  the  wheat  from  the  chaff.  It 
is  bold  apocalyptic  imagery,  but  John  perceives 
the  spiritual  nature  of  the  Mes'siah's  mission.  Cer- 
tainly John  looked  not  for  a  mere  political  king 
as  the  Pharisees  did  nor  for  a  mere  introducer 
of  an  age  of  destruction  and  of  despair.  He  held 
out  hope  to  those  who  greeted  the  Messiah  with 
loyal  heart  service.  So  vivid  is  his  description 
that  the  crowds  would  turn  to  see  where  the  Mes- 
siah was. 

8.  Baptizing  Jesus  (Matthew  3:  13-17;  Mark  1:  9-11; 

Luke  3:  21f). 

John  was  probably  on  the  lookout  for  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Messiah  as  he  baptized  the  crowds 
in  the  Jordan.     He  had  been  given  a  sign  by 


The  Forerunner.  55 

which  he  would  be  able  to  recognize  the  Messiah, 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (John  i :  33).  But 
when  one  day  Jesus  of  Nazareth  stood  by  the 
Jordan  and  asked  for  baptism  at  the  hands  of 
John,  he  instinctively  felt  that  here  at  last  was 
the  Messiah  of  promise  (Matthew  3:  14).  He 
felt  his  own  need  of  baptism  at  the  hands  of  the 
new  candidate.  The  presence  of  the  Messiah 
convicted  John  of  his  own  sin  and  need  of  a  Sa- 
viour. Jesus  admitted  the  correctness  of  John's 
attitude,  but  insisted  that  on  this  occasion  he  must 
receive  baptism  from  John  to  fulfill  all  righteous- 
ness (Matthew  3:  15).  It  would  be  incongruous 
for  the  Messiah  to  pass  by  the  message  and  ordi- 
nance of  the  Forerunner,  though  he  had  no  sins 
to  confess  like  the  rest.  So  the  two  men  of  des- 
tiny face  each  other  in  the  Jordan.  As  Jesus 
comes  out  of  the  water,  the  Holy  Spirit  descends 
upon  him  like  a  dove,  and  the  Father  in  an  audible 
voice  addresses  him  in  terms  of  approval.  John 
had  seen  his  sign.  He  had  now  in  reality  ful- 
filled his  mission. 

9.   The  Commission  from  Jerusalem  (John  1:  1^28). 

John  kept  on  with  his  work  even  after  baptiz- 
ing Jesus.  He  would  help  on  the  mission  of  the 
Messiah  and  not  be  a  shirker.  But  his  very  suc- 
cess and  devotion  brought  a  fresh  complication. 
In  spite  of  his  fierce  denunciation  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  Sadducees,  we  read  that  the  Pharisees 
had  a  commission  of  priests  and  Levites  (John  i : 
19,  24)   from  Jerusalem,    apparently    from   the 


56  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

Sanhedrin,  to  make  formal  inquiry  of  John  as  to 
his  claims  about  himself.  Possibly  the  Pharisees 
conceived  that  such  an  inquiry  would  embarrass 
both  John  and  the  Sadducees.  At  any  rate,  John 
was  vehement  in  his  disclaimer  about  being 
the  Messiah  or  Elijah  as  they  understood  the 
prophecy  about  Elijah.  He  was  simply  the  voice 
of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  Messiah  already  stood  in  their  midst, 
but  they  did  not  recognize  him. 

10.    Identifying  Jesus  as  the  Messiah  (John  1:  29-36). 

On  two  successive  days,  while  John  was  at 
Bethany  beyond  Jordan,  he  pointed  out  Jesus  as 
the  Messiah,  "Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world"  (John  i :  26f,  36).  It  was 
a  joy  to  John  to  bear  this  explicit  testimony  in 
public  to  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God  (John  i :  34), 
having  heard  the  witness  of  the  Father  at  the 
baptism  of  Jesus.  There  the  crowd  was  appar- 
ently absent.  It  is  objected  by  some  that  John's 
testimony  to  the  deity  and  the  humanity  of  Jesus 
sounds  like  a  later  theology ;  it  can  be  replied  that 
the  Messiah  was  John's  passion.  The  description 
of  the  Messiah  as  the  Paschal  Lamb  was  open  to 
him  in  the  fifty-third  chapter  of  Isaiah.  It  is 
gratuitous  to  limit  John  to  the  narrow  theology 
of  the  Pharisees  whom  he  denounced.  Precisely 
because  he  was  different  from  them  and  from  the 
apocalyptists  he  began  a  new  epoch.  And  yet  be 
found  a  standing  place  in  the  Old  Testament. 


The  Forerunner,  57 

11.  Freedom  from  Jealousy  (John  3:  22-36). 

John  went  on  with  his  work  with  a  glad  heart. 
He  had  not  spoken  in  vain.  He  had  lived  to  see 
his  words  about  the  Messiah  come  true.  He  could 
now  speak  with  a  new  accent  of  positivenes-s.  But 
the  disciples  of  John  looked  with  displeasure  at 
the  growing  popularity  of  Jesus  and  the  waning 
fame  of  John.  They  came  and  told  John  about 
it  and  almost  blamed  John  for  his  witness  to 
Jesus  (John  3:  26).  But  they  understood  John 
very  superficially.  He  appealed  to  their  knowl- 
edge of  his  disclaimer  about  the  Messiahship.  He 
is  simply  the  friend  of  the  bridegroom  and  must 
now  step  aside.  "He  must  increase,  but  I  must 
decrease."  The  effort  to  stir  envy  in  John's  heart 
failed  utterly.    His  cup  of  joy  is  full. 

12.  Denouncing  Herod  and  Herodias  (Luke  3:   19f; 

Matthew  14:  4;  Mark  6:  18). 

We  do  not  know  the  precise  occasion  that  led 
John  to  express  his  opinion  on  the  subject  of  the 
adulterous  marriage  between  Herod  Antipas  and 
Herodias.  She  had  divorced  her  husband  (Herod 
Philip  of  Rome)  and  he  his  wife  (daughter  of 
Aretas  of  Arabia)  in  order  to  consummate  the 
shameful  union.  He  may  have  been  asked  about 
it  by  someone  in  the  audience,  as  the  Jews  were 
outraged  at  the  situation.  One  of  the  Pharisees 
may  have  asked  the  question  in  order  to  get  John 
into  trouble  and  then  have  told  Herod  about  it. 
It  is  even  possible  that  Herod  Antipas,  having 
heard  of  it,  was  induced  to  invite  John  to  his 


58  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

summer  palace  at  Machaerus.  At  any  rate,  John 
said  to  Herod :  "It  is  not  lawful  for  thee  to  have 
her"  (Matthew  14:  4;  Mark  6:  18).  Herodias 
would  never  forgive  him  for  that  insult  (Mark 
6:  19).  John  was  not  a  man  to  reckon  the  con- 
sequences to  himself  when  face  to  face  with  duty. 
He  would  not  condone  wickedness  in  public  offi- 
cials in  order  to  save  his  own  head. 

13.  in  Prison   (Matthew  14:   3;   Mark  6:   17;   Luke 

3:  19f). 

Luke  (3:  igi)  expressiy  says  that  Herod 
Antipas  shut  up  John  in  prison  because  of  his 
reproof  to  him  and  Herodias,  as  do  Matthew 
(14:  3),  and  Mark  (6:  17).  Josephus  attributes 
the  arrest  of  John  to  the  public  disorder  occa- 
sioned by  his  preaching.  Both  explanations  are 
possible  (one  the  public  view,  the  other  the  pri- 
vate cause).  In  the  prison  at  Machaerus,  John 
was  allowed  to  see  his  friends  who  came,  but  his 
public  activities  were  at  an  end.  Time  went  by 
and  Jesus  did  nothing  to  get  him  out,  and  the 
shadows  fell  around  John.  Herod  had  spells  of 
liking  and  disliking  him  and  feared  the  people. 
But  Herodias  never  wavered  in  her  determina- 
tion to  have  him  put  to  death.  She  bided  her 
time. 

14.  The  Message  to  Jesus  (Matthew  11:  2-6;  Luke 

7:  18-23). 

The  news  brought  to  John  by  his  disciples  of 
the  marvelous  deeds  of  Jesus  stirred  him  to  send 


The  Forerunner.  59 

an  embassy  to  Jesus  with  the  query  whether, 
after  all,  he  was  the  Messiah.  This  doubt  of 
John,  after  his  positive  proclamation  and  identi- 
fication of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  has  puzzled 
many.  One  must  bear  in  mind  the  depressing 
effect  of  John's  surroundings.  The  chill,  damp, 
dark  dungeon  was  in  marked  contrast  to  the  fresh 
air  and  sunlight  of  the  hills  and  to  the  enthusi- 
asm of  the  crowds  by  the  Jordan.  He  languished 
about  a  year  in  this  prison.  Why  did  not  the 
Messiah  set  him  free?  At  any  rate,  a  word  of 
reassurance  would  be  comforting  to  John.  The 
reply  of  Jesus  to  John  was  calculated  to 
strengthen  his  faith. 

15.  Christ's  Estimate  of  John  (Matthew  11:  7-19; 
Luke  7:  24-35). 
After  the  messengers  of  John  left,  Jesus  de- 
livered a  wonderful  tribute  to  John  as  prophet, 
as  a  man  of  courage,  as  one  of  the  epoch-making 
men  of  all  time,  introducing  the  new  dispensa- 
tion, as  the  greatest  of  men  measured  by  God's 
standard  of  purity,  loyalty  and  courage.  He  was 
no  time-server.  The  people  and  the  publicans 
honored  John,  while  the  Pharisees  and  the  law- 
yers rejected  him  as  they  did  Jesus.  John  was 
too  unlike  other  people  (ascetic),  while  Jesus  was 
too  much  like  other  people,  "the  friend  of  pub- 
licans and  sinners."  The  critics  of  these  two 
preachers  are  reproduced  in  all  the  ages. 


50  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

16.    The  Death  of  John  (Matthew  14:  1-12;  Mark  6: 
14-29;  Luke  9:  7-9). 

It  came  on  a  night  of  revelry.  Herodias 
stooped  very  low  to  carry  her  point.  She  al- 
lowed her  daughter  Salome  to  dance  an  oriental 
dance  before  a  crowd  of  drunken  revellers  at 
Herod's  banquet.  In  his  maudlin  condition  he, 
with  an  oath,  offered  the  girl  anything  she  wished. 
At  her  mother's  request  she  asked  for  and  ob- 
tained the  head  of  John,  brought  to  her  on  a 
charger.  The  sight  of  that  head  stayed  with 
Herod  who,  later,  thought  that  Jesus  was  John 
the  Baptist  come  to  life  again.  The  disciples  of 
John  gave  his  body  honorable  burial  and  "went 
and  told  Jesus."  It  was  a  sad  message  for  him 
and  was  a  prophecy  of  his  own  fate  (Matthew 
17:  12).  Jesus  recognized  the  service  that  John 
had  rendered  and  honored  his  memory  and  life. 
He  had  joyfully  put  himself  in  touch  with  the 
Forerunner  rather  than  with  the  ecclesiastics  of 
the  day  (Matthew  21:  25;  Mark  11:  30;  Luke 
20:4).  John  made  the  work  of  Jesus  easier.  He 
prepared  the  soil  for  Christ.  The  first  disciples 
of  Jesus  came  from  the  circle  of  John's  followers 
(John  i:  37-42).  He  ploughed  up  the  fresh 
earth  in  which  Jesus  sowed  the  seed  of  the  king- 
dom. 


The  Forerunner.  Q\ 

TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  The  priests. 

2.  The  hill  country  of  Judea. 

3.  The  wilderness  of  Judea.    Desert  life. 

4.  Repentance. 

5.  Baptism. 

6.  The  River  Jordan. 

7.  The  baptism  of  Jesus. 

8.  The  loyalty  of  John  to  Jesus. 

9.  Preachers  and  politics. 

10.  Machaerus. 

11.  The  greatness  of  John  the  Baptist. 

12.  The  kingdom  of  God. 

13.  The  term  Messiah. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  MESSIAH'S  BIRTH  AND  TRAINING. 


1.    The  Sources  of  Our  Knowledge  of  Jesus. 

A  few  items  are  given  in  the  Acts  and  the 
Epistles,  but  chiefly  there  we  have  interpretations 
of  the  work  of  Jesus  on  earth  and  in  heaven.  The 
Gospels  supply  us  with  what  details  we  have.  The 
most  probable  order  in  the  writing  of  the  Gospels 
is  Mark,  Matthew,  Luke,  John.  The  dates  are 
not  definitely  known,  but  since  Luke  wrote  his 
Gospel  before  the  Acts,  which  seems  to  have  been 
written  in  Rome  while  Luke  was  with  Paul  (A.D. 
60-63),  it  is  probable  that  the  Gospel  of  Luke  was 
composed  while  Luke  was  with  Paul  in  Caesarea 
and  in  touch  with  the  sources  of  information  at 
hand,  both  oral  and  written  (Luke  i:  1-4). 
These  sources  may  have  included  Mark,  Mat- 
thew and  other  documents  like  Logia  (sayings) 
of  Jesus.  Some  fragments  of  such  sayings  of 
Jesus  have  been  discovered  in  the  papyri  of  Egypt. 
The  Gospel  of  Matthew  may  have  been  written 
originally  in  Aramaic  or  in  Greek  and,  like  Luke, 
the  author  probably  used  written  and  oral  infor- 
mation. Mark's  Gospel  is  the  briefest,  and  is 
mainly  narrative.  Mark  is  said  to  have  acted 
as  interpreter  for  Peter  who  apparently  spoke 

(82) 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training,  63 

Aramaic  more  fluently  than  Greek.  Mark  took 
notes  of  Peter's  discourses  about  Jesus.  Mark's 
Gospel  is  the  Roman  Gospel,  Matthew's  the  Jewish, 
Luke's  the  universal,  and  John's  the  spiritual 
Gospel.  John  probably  wrote  towards  the  end  of 
the  century  and  for  the  purpose  of  proving  the 
deity  of  Jesus,  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God. 
Matthew,  Mark  and  Luke  cover  very  much  the 
same  ground  and  are  therefore  called  the  synoptic 
Gospels.  John's  Gospel  chiefly  supplements  the 
synoptic  account  and  is  largely  in  the  form  of 
dialogue.  The  style  is  different,  but  of  rare  sim- 
plicity and  charm.  Criticism  challenges  many 
things  about  the  Gospels,  but  in  broad  outline 
the  records  probably  came  as  described  above. 
The  earliest  known  accounts  interpret  Jesus  as 
the  Son  of  God  as  well  as  the  Son  of  man,  and 
show  that  he  received  worship  and  claimed 
equality  with  God  and  was  conscious  of  his 
mission  to  men  as  Redeemer  from  sin.  He  was 
not  a  man  who  was  deified  by  others,  but  he  man- 
ifested God  in  his  person  and  work  and  claimed 
to  be  able  to  save  men  from  sin. 

2.  The  Supernatural. 

At  once  we  are  confronted  with  our  attitude 
toward  the  supernatural.  We  must  decide 
whether  in  Christ  we  have  only  a  good  man  show- 
ing us  how  to  come  to  God  by  following  his 
example,  or  God  making  direct  approach  to  men 
so  as  to  reveal  himself  to  men  and  win  the  world 
back  to  him.    In  other  words,  we  have  to  con- 


^  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

sider  whether  Jesus  is  a  mere  product  of  evolu- 
tion or  is  the  entrance  of  God  into  man.  The 
distinction  is  important  from  every  point  of  view. 
If  Jesus  is  only  a  man  who  gives  us  his  opinion 
about  God,  he  is  interesting  and  helpful  so  far 
as  he  sets  us  a  good  example,  but  is  not  an  object 
of  worship  and  Saviour  from  sin.  If,  as  we  be- 
lieve and  know,  he  is  the  Son  of  God  who  died 
on  the  cross  for  the  sins  of  the  world,  there  is 
no  ground  for  doubt  about  the  presence  of  God 
in  unusual  ways  in  the  life,  death  and  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  no  need,  therefore, 
of  being  on  the  defensive  in  the  matter.  Fortu- 
nately today  science  is  much  less  disposed  to  be 
dogmatic  about  what  can  or  cannot  be  true.  The 
wonders  of  nature  make  one  willing  to  see  that 
God  is  not  limited  in  his  ways  of  doing  things. 
Above  all,  we  have  the  witness  in  our  own  hearts 
to  the  salvation  through  Christ.  We  do  not  deny 
the  rights  of  criticism  to  examine  any  detail  in 
the  New  Testament  and  to  reach  conclusions  ac- 
cording to  all  the  evidence.  We  do  deny  that  a 
presumption  against  the  supernatural  can  be  laid 
down  at  the  start.  That  is  mere  prejudice.  God 
is.  We  start  with  that.  God  works.  God  loves. 
God  sent  his  Son  to  save  us.  If  we  get  that  far, 
the  rest  is  easy.  No  other  miracle  is  comparable 
to  the  miracle  of  sending  his  Son.  The  Virgin 
Birth,  the  Resurrection  from  the  dead,  the  As- 
cension are  not  hard  to  believe  then.  The  signs 
and  powers  wrought  by  Jesus  are  all  incidents, 
however  important  and  significant,  compared  with 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training.  55 

the  great  fact  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  God 
to  earth  in  human  form.  In  these  studies  we 
make  no  effort  to  sift  each  incident  by  critical 
processes. 

3.   The  Single  Picture. 

There  is  no  life  of  Jesus.  Neither  of  the  Gos- 
pels is  that  nor  professes  to  be.  Each  is  a  selec- 
tion from  the  vast  material  at  command  for  the 
purpose  in  hand.  Not  all  the  four  Gospels  to- 
gether give  a  life  of  Christ.  The  world  could 
hardly  contain  the  narrative  of  all  that  Jesus  did 
and  said  (John  21 :  25),  though  he  himself  wrote 
nothing  at  all.  The  purpose  of  John  is  to  win 
men  to  faith  in  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  so 
to  Hfe  through  him  (20:  31).  No  one  then  has 
written  a  real  life  of  Jesus.  The  rest  of  the  de- 
tails of  his  life  are  not  preserved.  The  apocryphal 
gospels  are  worthless.  The  uncanonical  sayings 
of  Jesus  preserved  by  early  Christian  writers 
have  interest  and  value,  but  they  are  very  few. 
To  tell  what  i-s  known  in  a  full  and  connected 
manner  with  all  problems  faced  and  discussed 
(matters  of  history,  topography,  archaeology, 
theology,  sociology,  ethics,  criticism,  language) 
would  require  more  books  than  one  man  can 
write  or  read  with  ease.  We  shall  probably  never 
have  a  life  of  Christ  on  an  adequate  scale.  And 
yet  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  the  unity  of  concep- 
tion in  the  Gospels.  They,  after  all,  give  the  same 
picture  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus. 


66  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

4.  The  Son  of  God. 

This  is  what  Jesus  was  called  by  the  angei 
Gabriel  in  speaking  to  Mary  (Luke  i:  32),  by 
the  Father  at  the  baptism  of  Jesus  ( Mark  i :  1 1 ) , 
by  the  Gospels  often  (John  20:  31),  and  several 
times  by  Jesus  himself.  It  is  clear  from  a  passage 
like  Matthew  1 1 :  25-30  that  Jesus  is  not  Son  of 
God  in  the  sense  that  other  men  are,  but  in  a 
peculiar  relation  true  only  of  him  as  "God  only- 
begotten"  (John  i:  18).  He  is  God's  only- 
begotten  Son  and  is  the  express  image  of  the  sub- 
stance of  God  (Hebrew  i :  2f),  very  God  of  very 
God.  The  deity  of  Jesus  therefore  is  manifest  in 
many  ways. 

5.  The  Son  of  Man. 

And  yet  Jesus  is  also  Son  of  man.  He  is  born 
of  woman  and  bears  our  human  nature  save  only 
that  he  is  free  from  sin.  He  could  be  hungry, 
suffer  pain,  grow  weary,  enter  into  human  joys 
and  sorrows  like  other  men.  He  was  more  than 
a  man.  He  was  the  typical  man,  the  representa- 
tive man,  the  ideal  man,  the  Son  of  mankind,  the 
perfect  man.  He  combines  in  himself  both  God 
and  man  and  is  the  God-man.  Thus  he  is  able  to 
offer  salvation  to  all  who  come  to  him.  Thus 
he  is  able  to  help  the  weak  and  the  erring.  Thus 
he  has  the  bond  of  human  sympathy  and  of  di- 
vine power.  His  love  is  effective  love  and  not 
mere  sentiment.  In  a  word,  Jesus  is  the  Messiah 
of  promise  (Prophet,  Priest  and  King),  the  con- 
summation of  the  ages,  the  hope  of  all  the  race. 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training.  g7 

6.  The  Message  of  Gabriel  to  Mary  (Luke  1:  26-38). 

The  wonderful  words  to  Mary  may  well  have 
"greatly  troubled"  her.  She  saw  the  high  honor 
in  being  the  mother  of  the  Messiah,  the  hope  of 
Israel.  She  saw  also  something  of  the  embar- 
rassing situation  in  which  she  would  be  place?!. 
But  she  was  willing  to  be  "the  handmaid  of  the 
Lord."  The  story  is  told  with  great  delicacy  and 
nobility.  The  name  "Jesus"  for  the  child  is  given 
by  the  angel  and  his  career  is  sketched  in  bold 
outline.  He  will  be  the  Son  of  the  Most  High, 
the  Son  of  God.  The  fact  of  the  Virgin  Birth  is 
here  presented  by  Luke  from  the  standpoint  of 
Mary.  Luke  may  have  gotten  the  story  from 
Mary  herself,  or  from  one  of  her  friends,  whilf  in 
Caesarea  or  Jerusalem.  The  child  will  have  the 
throne  of  his  father  David,  though  only  in  a  spir- 
itual sense,  not  as  a  political  king.  The  house  of 
Jacob  over  which  he  will  rule  is  the  people  or 
kingdom  of  God.  This  kingdom  shall  have  no 
end.  One  is  reminded  at  once  of  the  promise  in 
2  Samuel  7  and  in  Psalm  89,  as  expounded  later 
by  Christ  in  Matthew  16 :  i8f.  Mary  had  found 
favor  with  God  and  was  in  every  way  worthy  of 
her  great  dignity. 

7.  Mary  and  Elizabeth  (Luke  1:  39-56). 

It  was  a  woman's  problem,  and  Mary  needed 
counsel.  She  went  in  haste  to  see  Elizabeth,  her 
kinswoman  in  the  hill  country  of  Judea,  who  was 
within  three  months  of  the  birth  of  John  the 


68  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

Forerunner  of  the  Messiah  as  the  angel  had  said. 
These  two  women  of  destiny  met  each  other  with 
great  joy,  and  instantly  Elizabeth  knew  what 
was  to  be  true  of  Mary.  Elizabeth  was  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  saluted  Mary  as  the  mother 
of  her  Lord  and  as  bkssed  among  women.  The 
response  of  Mary  (the  Magnificat)  is  very  noble 
and  reminds  one  of  Hannah  in  i  Samuel  2.  It 
breathes  the  atmosphere  of  the  best  of  the  Psalms 
and  reveals  in  Mary  a  spirit  of  rare  piety  and  ele- 
vation. She  sees  that  God  is,  through  her,  fulfill- 
ing his  promise  to  Abraham  to  bless  all  genera- 
tions, and  is  full  of  humility  at  the  great  part 
given  to  her  through  God's  mercy.  God  is  her 
Saviour  and  her  Son  is  to  be  the  Saviour-God  of 
the  world.  Mary  seems  to  have  remained  with 
Elizabeth  (Luke  i :  26,  56f )  till  just  before  or 
just  after  the  birth  of  John  the  Baptist.  She  went 
back  to  her  home  in  Nazareth  with  a  heart  all 
a-flutter  with  hope  and  wonder. 

8.   The  Message  to  Joseph  (Matthew  1:  18-25). 

It  is  Matthew  who  gives  us  this  side  of  the  won- 
derful story  from  the  standpoint  of  Joseph.  Ap- 
parently Mary  did  not  say  anything  to  Joseph, 
her  betrothed,  concerning  the  message  of  the 
angel.  What  could  she  say?  But  the  time  came 
when  Joseph  had  to  know,  and  did  know.  Be- 
trothal with  the  Jews  was  very  sacred,  and 
Joseph  wished  to  put  her  away  privately  and  not 
to  "make  a  public  example,"  as  he  had  a  legal 
right  to  do,  for  he  was  a  righteous  man.    Evi- 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training.  69 

dently  Joseph  must  be  enlightened.  So  the  angel 
Gabriel  told  Joseph  the  truth  about  Mary  and  he 
took  her  as  wife  and  tenderly  protected  her.  The 
promise  explains  the  name  "J^sus"  for  the  child, 
"for  he  it  is  that  shall  save  the  people  from  their 
sins."  A  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy  in  Isaiah 
7:  14  is  seen  in  the  Virgin  Birth  of  Jesus,  who 
will  be  called  also  Immanuel  (God  with  us). 
Joseph  bore  himself  nobly  in  his  trying  situation. 

9.   The  Time  of  the  Birth  of  Jesus  (Luke  2:  If). 

The  ancients  were  not  precise  in  giving  dates 
according  to  our  modern  standards.  And  yet 
Luke  gives  two  notes  of  time.  One  was  the  world 
census  under  the  Emperor  Augustus.  The  other 
locates  it  at  the  first  enrollment  under  Quirinius, 
governor  of  Syria.  Both  of  these  points  have 
been  obscure  to  us,  though  clear  enough  to  the 
readers  of  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  until  quite  re- 
cently. It  is  now  known  from  the  papyri  of 
Egypt  that  Augustus  had  a  periodical  census 
every  fourteen  years.  The  years  are  also  known, 
but  in  the  provinces  the  census  was  not  always 
carried  out  expeditiously.  It  used  to  be  objected 
that  Quirinius  was  not  governor  of  Syria  but 
once  and  that  was  A.D.  6  as  Josephus  shows. 
But  Sir  W.  M.  Ramsay,  who  made  the  discovery 
about  the  census  just  mentioned,  has  also  found 
an  inscription  which  shows  that  Quirinius  was 
sent  to  Syria  in  connection  with  the  previous  cen- 
sus. The  only  point  still  obscure  is  the  precise 
jrear  when  Jesus  was  born.    We  know  clearly  that 


70  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

A.D.  I,  the  year  figured  out  in  the  sixth  century 
by  Dionysius  Exiguus,  is  wrong.  Jesus  was  bom 
before  the  death  of  Herod  the  Great  (Matthew 
2:  I- 12).  We  know  from  Josephus  that  Herod 
died  B.C.  4.  Therefore,  B.C.  5  seems  to  be  the 
latest  possible  year,  and,  on  the  whole,  the  most 
probable  year  for  the  birth  of  Jesus.  Various 
lines  of  argument  seem  to  converge  on  this  year, 
though  the  census  above  rather  argues  for  a  date 
a  year  or  two  earlier.  We  know  absolutely  noth- 
ing as  to  the  time  of  year  when  the  birth  took 
place.  The  presence  of  the  shepherds  on  the  hills 
at  night  seems  to  preclude  winter,  and  that  is  all 
that  we  can  say.  The  month  and  the  day  are  not 
preserved. 

10.  The  Place  (Luke  2:  3-7). 

We  know  now  that  the  census  of  Augustus 
required  that  everyone  go  to  his  own  city.  It 
was  not  merely  a  Jewish  custom,  but  an  imperial 
custom.  Thus  the  family  records  were  kept  in- 
tact. In  due  course,  therefore,  the  ruler  of  the 
world  is  unconsciously  the  human  agent  in  mak- 
ing it  true  that  the  birth  of  Jesus  take  place  at 
Bethlehem,  the  city  of  David,  the  ancestor  of 
Joseph  and  apparently  also  of  Mary.  The  town 
was  the  home  of  Boaz  (and  of  Ruth  after  her 
adoption)  and  of  David.  It  still  exists.  The  long 
journey  was  inevitably  a  severe  strain  upon  Mary. 
She  probably  had  only  a  donkey  to  ride  from 
Nazareth  to  Bethlehem.  The  census  had  brought 
many  others  to  Bethlehem  at  the  same  time.    The 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training.  7j^ 

inns  or  caravansaries  were  none  too  large,  any- 
how, and  literally  * 'there  was  no  room  for  them 
in  the  inn."  No  stranger  among  the  guests  took 
pity  upon  Mary  and  offered  her  his  room.  The 
only  place  for  her  and  Joseph  was  one  of  the 
cattle  stalk,  probably  under  the  inn  down  the 
hillside.  There  the  Saviour  of  the  world  was 
born,  was  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes  and  laid 
in  a  manger.  Jesus,  rich  beyond  all  comparison 
as  God's  Son,  had  left  the  glory  of  heaven  to  be- 
come poor  that  we  might  be  made  rich  in  him 
(2  Corinthians  8:9). 

11.   Announced  by  Angels  (Luke  2:  8-14). 

The  birth  of  the  Babe  in  the  stable  at  the  inn 
made  small  commotion  there.  It  was  only  one 
child  more  in  a  world  of  struggk  and  trial,  one 
little  boy  with  the  future  unknown,  but  with  hope 
and  promise.  But  Mary  knew  what  the  angel 
had  said.  The  hour  of  anguish  was  her  hour  of 
glory.  And  Joseph  trusted.  Once  more  "an 
angel  of  the  Lord"  appeared.  This  time  to  some 
shepherds  on  the  hills  near  Bethlehem.  He  an- 
nounced to  these  common  men  with  simple  hearts 
the  greatest  and  best  of  all  tidings,  the  birth  of 
the  Saviour,  Christ  the  Lord.  He  gave  the  sign 
by  which  to  know  the  Babe,  and  suddenly  the 
heavenly  host  burst  into  song.  The  correct  text 
here  (Luke  2 :  14)  gives  us  "men  of  good  will," 
rather  than  "good  will  among  men."  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  peace  of  Christ  comes  on  earth  only 
to  those  who  submit  themselves  to  God.    These 


72  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

alone  possess  the  inward  peace  that  passeth  all 
understanding.  It  was  meet  that  heaven  should 
thus  take  note  of  the  great  event.  The  coming 
of  Jesus  to  earth  must  have  made  a  stir  among 
the  angels  of  heaven  (i  Peter  i :  12). 

12.  Proclaimed  by  Shepherds  (Luke  2:  15-20). 

The  first  heralds  of  the  good  tidings  are  thus, 
not  the  ecclesiastics  of  Pharisaism,  but  represent- 
atives of  the  great  common  people  in  touch  with 
God  and  nature.  The  shepherds  saw  the  Babe  and 
told  Mary  and  others  what  they  had  seen  and 
heard.  For  the  rest,  it  was  a  seven-days'  wonder 
and  passed,  but  "Mary  kept  all  these  sayings, 
pondering  them  in  her  heart."  Every  detail  was 
precious  to  her.  The  shepherds  went  back  to 
their  flocks,  glorifying  God. 

13.  Recognized  by  Saints  (Luke  2:  21-38). 

The  boy  was  circumcised  on  the  eighth  day 
and  in  due  course  presented  in  the  temple.  Then 
an  old  man  named  Simeon  knew  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  that  at  last  his  eyes  looked  upon  the  Light 
for  the  Gentiles  and  the  Glory  of  God's  people 
Israel.  He  was  now  ready  to  die,  and  stirred 
Mary's  heart  afresh  by  words  of  penetration  and 
insight  about  the  touch-stone  of  the  life  of  Jesus 
and  the  sword  that  would  pierce  Mary's  own 
heart.  Mary's  cup  was  filled  full  when  the  aged 
Anna,  likewise  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  over- 
flowed with  joy  at  sight  of  the  redemption  of 
Jerusalem.     But  the  words  of  these  two  aged 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training.  73 

saints  would  vani-sh  from  most    minds    as    the 
years  went  by. 

14.   Worshiped  by  Wise  Men  (Matthew  2:  1-12). 

Back  to  Bethlehem  Joseph  and  Mary  went. 
Then  come  wise  men  from  the  east,  guided  by 
a  star  to  Jerusalem,  and  directed  to  Bethlehem 
by  the  learning  of  the  chief-priests  and  scribes 
(Sadducees  and  Pharisees),  who  recalled  Micah 
5  :2  at  the  request  of  Herod  the  Great,  he  being 
greatly  troubled  at  the  query  of  the  wise  men 
concerning  a  new-born  King  of  the  Jews.  The 
well-known  cruelty  of  Herod  made  all  Jerusalem 
troubled  as  to  what  new  outrage  Herod  would 
now  commit.  The  wise  men  escaped  from  Herod 
and  found  the  Babe  at  Bethlehem.  We  have  to 
leave  unsettled  the  names,  country  and  move- 
ments of  these  wise  men.  Astrology  was  studied 
extensively  in  Persia,  but  we  do  not  know  the 
number  of  the  wise  men  nor  why  they  came,  ex- 
cept that  God  led  them.  God  has  many  ways  of 
reaching  the  hearts  of  men.  Whether  the  star 
was  a  comet  or  a  regular  star  we  do  not  know. 
The  learned  men  in  Jerusalem  do  not  worship  the 
Babe  in  Bethlehem,  but  these  wise  men  from  the 
east  do.  Real  learning  finds  its  highest  service 
at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  The  wise  men  are  led  out 
of  Herod's  trap  to  go,  back  another  way. 

15.   The  Jealousy  of  Herod  (Matthew  2:  13-18). 

The  rage  of  Herod  at  being  outwitted  by  the 
wis©  men  was  very  gjreat.     He  had  planned  to 


74  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

have  this  new  King  of  the  Jews  slain.  He  had 
put  several  of  his  own  sons  to  death  and  would 
not  hesitate  now.  Hence,  he  enlarged  his  plan 
and,  to  make  sure,  had  slain  all  the  boys  in  Beth- 
lehem two  years  old  and  under.  The  devil  thus 
at  the  very  start  uses  the  power  of  the  state  in 
an  effort  to  destroy  the  work  of  the  Son  of  God 
on  earth.  Political  oppression  has  often  sought 
to  uproot  Christianity. 

1©.    The  Rescue  of  the  Babe  (Mattliew  2:  13f). 

God  took  care  of  his  Son.  Joseph  was  told 
to  flee  to  Egypt,  where  he  remained  a  year  at 
least,  till  Herod  was  dead.  Perhaps  Herod  died 
thinking  that  he  had  put  the  new  King  out  of 
his  way.  Once  before  God's  servant  (son)  Israel 
had  dwelt  in  Egypt  (Hosea  ii :  i).  Now,  again, 
the  other  Son  of  God  in  the  full  sense  of  the  term 
is  in  exile. 

17.    The   Return   to  Nazareth    (Matthew  2:    19-23; 
Luke  2:  39). 

Joseph  had  planned  to  go  back  to  Bethlehem 
to  rear  the  Child  there,  but,  when  he  learned  that 
Archelaus  had  succeeded  Herod  the  Great,  he 
went  to  Nazareth.  When  Joseph  fled  to  Egypt, 
the  will  of  Herod  was  that  Antipas  should  suc- 
ceed him,  but  he  had  changed  his  will  once  more. 
Archelaus  was  the  worst  of  the  sons  still  living. 
Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  Jesus  was  reared  in 
Nazareth  and  was  called  a  Nazarene,  though  no 
prophecy  to  that  effect  is  found.  He  was  despised^ 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training.  75 

however,  as  Nazareth  itself  was.  Nazareth  is 
still  a  town  of  some  size  situated  on  a  hill  over- 
looking the  plain  of  Esdraelon,  and  in  sight  of  the 
Mediterranean.  It  was  not  far  from  the  line  of 
travel,  though  secluded. 

18.   The  Family  Circle  (Mark  6:  3). 

The  home  in  Nazareth  was  that  of  the  carpen- 
ter (Matthew  13:  55)  of  the  town.  It  was  not 
that  of  the  very  humblest  peasant,  but  certainly 
not  one  of  affluence.  Joseph  probably  made  a  com- 
petency, and  had  a  degree  of  independence.  The 
house  was  probably  one  story  high,  with  a  large 
room  in  the  center  and  other  rooms  adjoining. 
The  furniture  would  be  simple  and  not  very  much 
of  it.  The  beds  would  be  rolled  up  by  day.  There 
would  be  a  table,  chairs,  water-pots  and  oven. 
The  family  grew  with  the  years  till  Jesus  had  four 
brothers  (James,  Joses,  Judas,  Simon),  and  sis- 
ters also.  They  would  all  take  their  share  in  the 
household  duties  as  well  as  attend  the  synagogue 
school.  Mary  would  teach  them  the  law  of  Moses 
and  some  of  the  oral  law  also.  Joseph  may  have 
had  a  few  rolls  of  portions  of  the  Old  Testament. 
All  of  it  would  be  in  the  synagogue.  They  would 
speak  Aramaic  and  also  Greek,  and  could  learn 
to  read  Hebrew  at  school.  It  was  a  home  of 
simple  piety,  work  and  love.  Joseph  was  an 
upright  man  and  Mary  one  of  the  rarest  of  all 
women.  The  most  remarkable  Boy  of  all  time 
was  growing  in  this  home  and  Joseph  and  Mary 
kept  their  great  secret. 


76  studies  in  the  'New  Testament. 

19.  The  Growing  Child  (Luke  2:  40). 

The  Child  Jesus  grew  on  with  the  years,  full  of 
life  ("waxed  strong")  and  play,  a  happy,  hearty 
child,  with  winsome  ways  and  a  wistful  gaze  be- 
yond his  years.  Mary  could  see  heaven  in  his 
eyes  and  he  saw  love  in  hers.  He  was  filled  with 
wisdom,  though  still  a  child,  but  not  a  prodigy. 
He  did  not  pose  as  one  above  the  rest.  "The 
grace  of  God  was  upon  him"  and  kept  him  fresh 
and  clean  as  he  grew. 

20.  The  Boy  in  Jerusalem  (Luke  2:  41-51). 

One  glimpse  alone  we  get  of  the  boyhood  of 
Jesus.  How  precious  that  is !  The  Boy  Jesus  is 
in  Jerusalem  for  the  first  time.  He  is  twelve 
years  old  and  all  aglow  with  interest  and  zest 
for  the  great  world  about  him.  The  temple 
charms  him  and  holds  him  long  after  the  rest 
are  gone,  all  oblivious  of  them,  rapt  with  the 
spell  of  knowing  the  things  that  he  had  been 
yearning  after  with  strange  passion  of  late.  The 
Boy  Jesus  is  found  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the 
doctors  in  the  temple  asking  and  answering  ques- 
tions with  wondrous  insight,  astonishing  the 
doctors  by  the  wisdom  of  his  questions  and  an- 
swers. The  cry  from  his  own  astonished  heart 
to  Mary  and  Joseph  reveals  the  depth  of  his 
growing  consciousness  of  a  peculiar  relation  to 
God  his  Father :  "Wist  ye  not  that  I  must  be  in 
my  Father's  house?"  He  knows,  partly  at  least, 
the  great  secret  about  his  mission.  Oh,  the 
golden  dreams  of  a  boy^s  heart  as  he  sees  the 


Messiah's  Birth  and  Training.  77 

beckoning  hand  drawing  him  on.  With  full 
hearts  Mary  and  her  Boy  go  back  to  Nazareth. 
Evidently  she  must  now  begin  to  tell  him  what 
she  knows. 

21.  The  Youth  at  the  Carpenter's  Bench   (Mark  6: 

3;  Luke  2:  52). 

As  the  eldest  son  of  the  family,  Jesus  took  up 
the  trade  of  Joseph,  his  reputed  father,  and  be- 
came himself  a  carpenter.  In  time,  after  the 
death  of  Joseph,  he  was  apparently  known  as  ''the 
carpenter."  So  thus  Jesus  the  young  man  laid 
hold  of  the  problems  of  work  and  did  his  daily 
task  at  his  bench.  He  belonged  to  the  great 
working  class  of  all  the  ages  and  should  appeal 
strongly  to  all  honest  toilers  for  their  bread.  We 
may  be  sure  that  Jesus  wrought  zealously  at  his 
calling.  He  was  not  a  mere  dreamer,  but  a 
worker,  making  benches,  tables,  chairs,  plows, 
whatnot.  And  yet  he  was  more  than  a  carpen- 
ter. The  ring  of  the  hammer  was  sure,  but  he 
was  also  holding  communion  with  his  Father  in 
preparation  for  the  great  day  of  his  revelation  to 
Israel  as  the  Messiah.  When  will  that  day  be? 
He  was  advancing  always  in  wisdom  and  stature, 
and  in  favor  with  God  and  man.  He  was  making 
friends  in  Nazareth. 

22.  Mary's  Thoughts. 

She  was  watching  the  flowering  into  fruit  of 
her  bud  of  hope.  She  saw  the  wonderful  man 
growing  by  her  side.     She  understood  that  he 


78  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

was  to  be  more  than  a  carpenter.  She  waited 
through  the  years.  He  would  soon  be  thirty  years 
old.  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth  were  dead.  Where 
was  John  the  Baptist  ?  One  day  Mary  heard  great 
news  from  the  desert.  Did  she  not  tell  Jesus  ?  A 
few  more  months  go  by.  Mary  would  now  wish 
to  tell  Jesus  all  her  heart. 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  The  origin  of  the  Gospels. 

2.  The  supernatural  in  Christianity. 

3.  The  Son  of  God  (the  Deity  of  Christ). 

4.  The  Son  of  man  (the  humanity  of  Christ) 

5.  The  angel  Gabriel. 

6.  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus. 

7.  Shepherd  life  in  Palestine. 

8.  The  Magi. 

9.  Joseph,  the  husband  of  Mary. 

10.  The  brother  and  sisters  of  Jesus. 

11.  The  Virgin  Birth  of  Jesus. 

12.  The  date  of  Christ's  birth. 

13.  Bethlehem. 

14.  Jewish  inns. 

15.  Nazareth. 

16.  Jewish  carpenters. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  BRIEF  MINISTRY  OF  JESUS. 


1,  The  Length  of  the  Ministry. 

If  we  had  only  the  synoptic  Gospels,  we  should 
not  know  that  the  ministry  of  Jesus  lasted  more 
than  one  year.  The  synoptic  Gospels  mention  only 
one  passover,  the  one  at  which  Jesus  was  cruci- 
fied. The  Gospel  of  John  mentions  three  (2 :  13 ; 
6:  4;  12:  i),  and  the  ministry  had  lasted  some 
months  before  the  first.  Hence,  we  know  that 
the  ministry  was  some  two  and  a  half  years  in 
length.  It  probably  was  three  and  a  half,  since, 
even  if  the  feast  in  John  5 :  i  was  not  a  passover, 
there  was  in  all  likelihood  another  unmentioned 
passover  because  the  work  of  Christ  seems  to  call 
for  that  amount  of  time. 

2.  The  Date  of  Entrance  Upon  the  Ministp/  (Luke 

3:  23). 

We  only  know  that  he  was  about  thirty  years 
old.  This  was  the  usual  custom  for  priests,  but 
Jesus  was  not  of  the  tribe  of  Levi.  John  the  Bap- 
tist was  six  months  older  than  Jesus,  and  appar- 
ently began  his  ministry  also  when  thirty  years 
old.  We  have  seen  that  Jesus  was  probably  bom 
B.C.  5,  though  the  time  of  year  is  uncertain.  John 

(79) 


80  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

was  in  that  case  born  in  the  early  part  of  B.C.  5, 
or  the  latter  part  of  B.C.  6.  It  was  probably  in 
A.D.  26  (latter  part  of  the  year)  when  Jesus  en- 
tered upon  his  ministry.  His  death  three  years 
and  a  half  later  would  then  be  spring  of  A.D.  30, 
or,  if  only  two  and  a  half  years  later,  A.D.  29 
(passover). 

3.   The    Messianic   Introduction    (Matthew  3:  13-17; 
Mark  1:  9-11;  Luke  3:  21f). 

It  is  clear  that  Jesus  came  to  the  Jordan  to  be 
baptized  by  John  with  full  Messianic  conscious- 
ness, and  not  as  a  mere  penitent  like  the  rest.  He 
admits  the  correctness  of  John's  protest  about 
baptizing  him,  since  he  had  no  sins  to  repent  of, 
whose  cleansing  was  to  be  symbolized  by  the  new 
ordinance.  But  the  very  first  act  in  the  work  of 
Jesus  as  Messiah  is  to  receive  baptism  at  the 
hands  of  John,  and  so  to  connect  his  work  as 
Messiah  with  that  of  the  Forerunner.  This  was 
eminently  proper  in  itself,  and  in  recognition  of 
John's  mission.  Jesus  received  no  other  human 
attestation.  He  was  not  ordained  or  set  apart 
by  any  council.  He  had  no  ecclesiastical  or  scho- 
lastic endorsement.  But  he  had  the  conscious- 
ness of  oneness  with  his  Father  and  the  clear 
call  to  the  work  to  which  he  had  now  put  his 
hands.  There  came  to  Jesus  also  the  visible  man- 
ifestations of  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
the  form  of  a  dove  resting  upon  him  and  the 
audible  approval  of  the  Father  in  his  Beloved 
Son.     This  was  what  was  worth  while.  •  John 


T»e  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  gi 

appears  to  have  seen  and  heard  this  witness  (John 
1 :  33f),  though  apparently  no  others  did,  save  the 
devil.  But  through  all  the  coming  days  of  strain 
the  heart  of  Jesus  had  this  great  experience  to 
cheer  him. 

4.   The    Challenge   from    Satan    (Matthew    4:    1-11; 
Mark  1:   12f;  Luke  4:  1-13). 

Mark  says  that  the  Spirit  drove  Jesus  into  the 
wilderness,  and  ^Matthew  adds,  to  be  tempted  by 
the  devil.  The  temptation  was  not  therefore  an 
accident,  but  was  a  conscious  grappling  of  the 
two  leaders  in  the  struggle  for  man.  The  devil 
had  overcome  Adam  and  Eve  and  was  keenly 
alive  to  the  importance  of  defeating  the  Second 
Adam.  The  Hope  of  the  race  was  on  trial  now. 
Satan  knew  who  Jesus  was  and  accepts  him  as 
the  Son  of  God,  but  dares  to  tempt  even  him.  He 
tries  him  by  the  doors  of  hunger,  nervous  reck- 
lessness and  ambition.  Jesus  meets  the  devil 
with  the  Word  of  God  and  routs  him  for  the  time 
being.  He  will  make  no  compromise  with  Satan 
by  recognizing  his  rule  of  ruin.  If  one  wonders 
how  the  Son  of  God  could  be  tempted,  he  may 
reflect  that  he  would  not  have  been  a  real  man 
otherwise.  The  victory  of  Jesus  offers  hope  to 
every  tempted  man  who  has  the  example,  sym- 
pathy and  power  of  Christ  to  help  him.  The 
devil  disputes  the  path  with  every  man  who  en- 
deavors to  work  for  God.  He  claims  the  world 
as  his  realm  and  fights  for  every  inch  of  ground. 


82  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

5.  The  Small  Beginning  (John  1:  19—2:  12). 

Jesus  had  chosen  battle  and  the  war  began. 
Jesus  came  out  of  the  wilderness  to  Bethany  be- 
yond the  Jordan,  where  John  the  Baptist  was. 
Here  he  won  his  first  disciples  from  the  followers 
of  the  Baptist  (Andrew  and  probably  John,  the 
brother  of  James).  These  two  won  each  his 
brother.  Jesus  found  Philip,  and  Philip  brought 
Nathanael.  This  band  of  six  formed  the  nucleus 
of  the  followers  of  Jesus  and  were  called  dis- 
ciples or  learners  (John  2 :  i  if ) .  They  went  with 
Jesus  to  the  marriage  at  Cana,  where  the  first 
miracle  was  wrought — the  turning  of  water  into 
wine — ^which  manifested  the  glory  of  Jesus  and 
increased  the  faith  of  the  disciples.  The  mother 
of  Jesus  no  doubt  had  fresh  pride  in  her  wondrous 
Son  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  made  her  under- 
stand that  his  work  now  as  Messiah  lay  outside 
of  her  province,  but  it  was  not  outside  of  her 
heart.  The  brothers  were  with  Jesus  and  his 
mother  for  a  few  days  at  Capernaum,  apparently 
in  pleasant  fellowship. 

6.  The  Rebuff  at  Jerusalem  (John  2:  13 — 3:  21). 

The  passover  found  Jesus  at  Jerusalem  and  in 
the  temple.  It  was  meet  that  he  should  assert 
his  Messianic  claims  in  the  Holy  City.  Would 
the  ecclesiastical  leaders  welcome  him  or  reject 
him?  The  issue  was  raised  in  an  indirect  way, 
but  the  result  was  decisive.  Jesus  was  indignant 
at  the  profanation  of  the  temple  by  the  traffic  in 
oxen,  sheep  and  doves  for  the  sacrifices  and  the 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  83 

banking  operations,  all  in  the  court  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. Jesus  asserted  his  Messianic  claims  by  say- 
ing: "Take  these  things  hence;  make  not  my 
Father's  house  a  house  of  merchandise."  The 
Reformer  carried  his  point  for  the  moment. 
When  his  authority  was  challenged,  he  gave  the 
sign  of  his  resurrection  on  the  third  day,  which 
was  not  understood  because  of  the  parabolic 
reference  to  the  temple,  a  misunderstanding  that 
lasted  till  the  trial  of  Christ  before  the  Sanhe- 
drin.  Jesus  was  not  carried  away  by  the  crowd 
of  enthusiasts  over  his  miracles  in  Jerusalem. 
The  rabbis  were  hostile  and  the  people  were 
hollow.  The  one  exception  was  Nicodemus,  the 
timid  scholar  and  member  of  the  Sanhedrin.  His 
Pharisaism  made  it  hard  to  understand  the  spir- 
itual kingdom  which  Jesus  preached,  and  yet  he 
could  not  resist  the  charm  of  Jesus.  The  Master 
tried  to  open  to  him  the  mysteries  of  the  New 
Birth,  of  the  necessity  of  the  Atoning  Death  on 
the  Cross,  of  the  Love  of  God  that  gave  the  only- 
begotten  Son  for  the  life  of  all  who  believed.  The 
teacher  in  Israel  was  puzzled  by  this  teaching, 
but  in  time  came  to  believe  it. 

7.   The  Success  in  Judea  (John  3:  22—4:  4). 

Outside  of  Jerusalem  in  Judea  the  work  of 
Christ  took  a  real  and  powerful  hold.  The  dis- 
ciples of  John  began  to  complain,  though  he  re- 
joiced. The  Pharisees  became  jealous  of  the  new 
Teacher.    The  very  success  of  Jesus  made  it  nee- 


34  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

essary  to  go  back  to  Galilee  to  escape  the  fate  of 
John  the  Baptist,  who  was  now  in  prison. 

8.  The  Harvest  In  Samaria  (John  4:  5-42). 

The  work  in  Samaria  seems  in  the  nature  of 
an  incident  by  the  way  as  Jesus  was  on  his  way 
from  Judea  to  Galilee.  The  Samaritans  and  the 
Jews  Uved  apart  in  mutual  dislike,  which  was  all 
the  keener  because  the  Samaritans  were  half- 
Jews.  The  winning  of  the  woman  at  the  well  in 
spite  of  the  most  adverse  circumstances  led  to  the 
conversion  of  many  others  in  Sychar  and  to  the 
cheering  of  the  soul  of  Jesus  at  the  power  of  the 
gospel  to  save  the  lost  of  all  the  world,  at  the 
vision  of  the  harvest  all  over  the  world  ready 
for  the  reapers,  at  the  recognition  of  himself  as 
the  Saviour  of  the  world  by  Samaritans  in  sharp 
contrast  to  the  narrow  prejudice  of  the  Jewish 
rabbis  in  Jerusalem.  Jesus  showed  his  disciples 
how  to  rise  above  race  prejudice  and  sex  discrim- 
ination in  saving  the  lost. 

9.  The  New  Start  In  Galilee  (John  4:  43-B4;  Matthew 

4:  13-25;  8:  2—9:  34;  Mark  1:  14-22;  5:  22-43; 
Luke  4:  14—5:  39;  8:  41-56). 

It  will  not  be  possible  to  follow  in  detail  the 
events  in  the  ministry  of  Christ,  but  we  can  at 
least  keep  a  true  perspective  and  proportion  in 
our  study.  Jesus  left  Judea  because  of  excess  of 
popularity  there  that  aroused  the  jealousy  of  the 
Pharisees.  He  came  to  Galilee  where  as  yet  he 
had  done  little  to  create  excitement.     But  the 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  35 

news  of  his  work  in  Judea  had  preceded  him  and 
gave  him  a  glad  welcome  in  Galilee.  But  for  the 
Gospel  of  John  we  should  know  Httle  of  the  work 
of  Jesus  during  the  first  year  of  his  ministry  (the 
year  of  obscurity).  In  Galilee  Jesus  preached 
repentance  and  the  approach  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  as  John  the  Baptist  had  done,  meaning  by 
kingdom  the  reign  of  God  in  the  heart  and  life. 
He  gave  Nazareth  an  opportunity  to  hear  him. 
Curiosity  and  pleasure  were  soon  piqued  by  town 
pride  and  turned  to  anger  that  strove  to  kill  him. 
Clearly,  Nazareth  could  not  be  his  home  during 
the  Galilean  ministry.  So  Jesus  chose  Caper- 
naum, a  flourishing  town  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee, 
a  less  provincial  city  with  many  Greeks.  Here 
he  recalled  James  and  John,  Andrew  and  Simon 
Peter  to  follow  him  steadily.  Soon  a  great  stir 
was  made  in  Capernaum  by  the  freshness  and 
power  of  the  teaching  of  Jesus  and  by  his  wonder- 
ful miracles  of  healing,  even  a  case  of  raising  the 
dead  (Jairus*  daughter).  The  excitement  became 
intense,  and  Jesus  sought  refuge  in  the  desert 
to  pray.  The  Pharisees  had  come  from  Judea 
and  Jerusalem  to  investigate  the  work  and  claims 
of  Jesus,  and  were  outraged  when  he  forgave  sin 
and  thus  claimed  the  prerogative  of  God.  They 
even  hinted  that  he  was  in  league  with  the  devil. 
Jesus  had  not  escaped  the  hostility  of  the  Phari- 
sees by  leaving  Judea.  The  Pharisees  ridiculed 
Jesus  for  associating  with  publicans  like  Levi, 
and  even  the  disciples  of  John  the  Baptist  joined 
in  the  complaint  that  Jesus  and  his  disciples  did 


86  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

not  observe  the  usual  fasts.  They  did  not  un- 
derstand the  essential  difference  between  Chris- 
tianity and  Judaism. 

10.  The  Fresh  Outbreak  in  Jerusalem  (John  5:  1-47; 
Matthew  12:  1-14;  Mark  2:  23—3:  6;  Luke  6: 
1-11). 

It  was  probably  the  passover  that  brought  Je- 
sus back  to  Jerusalem.  The  atmosphere  there 
was  now  very  hostile.  The  healing  of  the  im- 
potent man  on  the  Sabbath  day  gave  the  Phari- 
sees a  fresh  charge  to  make  against  Jesus.  He 
was  a  Sabbath-breaker.  The  defense  of  Jesus 
that  his  Father  worked  all  the  time  made  it  still 
worse,  for  he  thereby  made  himself  equal  with 
God  and  was  a  blasphemous  pretender.  Hence, 
they  sought  to  kill  him.  Thus  within  a  year  and 
a  half  matters  have  come  to  a  head  in  Jerusalem. 
Jesus  made  an  extended  exposition  of  his  claim 
to  equality  with  God  as  the  Son  of  God  in  nature 
and  with  the  power  of  God.  The  outcome  showed 
clearly  that  Jesus  must  go  back  to  Galilee.  On 
the  way  back  the  Pharisees  follow  him  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  further  grounds  of  complaint 
against  him.  There  is  now  in  reality  at  Jerusalem 
a  conspiracy  against  Jesus,  whose  agents  appear 
at  almost  every  turn.  They  object  on  one  Sab- 
bath to  the  rubbing  and  eating  of  grains  of  wheat 
plucked  by  the  disciples  as  they  walk.  On  the 
next  Sabbath  they  are  present  in  a  synagogue  to 
see  if  Jesus  will  heal  a  man  with  a  withered  hand. 
Jesus  defends  the  conduct  of  the  disciples  with 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  37 

powerful  arguments,  which  anger  the  Pharisees 
all  the  more  since  he  claims  superiority  to  ritual 
regulations  and  emphasizes  mercy  and  spiritu- 
ality. As  a  result  the  Pharisees  joined  hands  with 
the  Herodians  in  a  rage  in  order  to  plot  the  death 
of  Jesus. 

11.  The  Band  of  Apostles  (Matthew  10:  2f;  Mark  3: 
13-19;  Luke  6:  12-16;  Acts  1:  13f). 
On  the  return  to  Galilee,  Jesus  faced  the  neces- 
sity for  some  sort  of  organization.  After  a  night 
of  prayer  on  a  mountain,  he  came  down  to  a 
level  place  and  in  the  early  dawn  he  chose 
twelve  men  to  be  with  him  constantly  and  named 
them  apostles  (missionaries).  It  was  a  crisis  in 
the  ministry  of  Christ  and  much  depended  on  the 
choice  of  these  men.  Jesus  had  tested  most  of 
them  in  various  ways  already.  They  were  all 
from  Galilee  save  Judas  Iscariot,  who  came  from 
Judea.  They  possessed  varying  gifts,  but  made 
a  wonderful  band  of  young  men  to  be  trained 
by  the  greatest  of  earthly  teachers  in  the  work  of 
the  kingdom  of  God.  It  was  now  less  than  two 
years  till  the  death  of  Jesus.  Could  they  be 
taught  in  time  ? 

12.   A  Proclamation  of  Principles  (Matthew  5:  1—7: 
29;  Mark  3:  7-12;  Luke  6:  17-49). 

Jesus  went  back  a  little  up  the  mountain  and 
sat  down  and  addressed  these  twelve  men,  other 
disciples  in  large  numbers,  and  a  great  crowd  of 
hearers    all    the    way    from    Idumea    to    Tyre 


gg  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

and  Sidon  (Mark  3:8).  He  probably  spoke  in 
Greek  on  this  occasion,  as  many  present  could  not 
understand  Aramaic.  It  was  time  for  Jesus  to 
make  it  clear  wherein  his  teaching  differed  from 
that  of  the  rabbis,  the  rehgious  teachers  of  Ju- 
daism, who  were  now  plainly  in  open  opposition 
to  him.  The  issue  is  met  fairly.  The  current 
Judaism  taught  that  righteousness  consisted  in 
ceremonial  observances  to  the  neglect  of  the  spir- 
itual and  the  ethical.  They  had  missed  the  point 
of  the  Old  Testament  and  had  obscured  even  that 
by  their  oral  traditions.  Jesus  reaffirmed  the 
ethics  (not  the  ceremonial  rules)  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, only  he  went  very  much  further  and  car- 
ried the  ethical  standard  far  beyond  anything 
that  the  world  had  ever  known  and  to  a  point 
which  has  not  yet  been  reached  in  actual  practice. 
He  pointedly  said  that  unless  one's  righteousness 
exceeded  that  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  one 
could  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  This 
sermon,  though  not  a  full  statement  of  all  of 
Christ's  teaching,  made  a  marvelous  impression 
then,  and  is  still  the  goal  of  real  righteousness 
among  men. 

13.   The  Gloom  of  John  the  Baptist  (Matthew  11:  2- 
30;  Luke  7:  18-35). 

In  spite  of  the  great  deeds  of  Jesus  gloom  set- 
tled upon  John  the  Baptist  as  he  languished  in 
prison  at  Machaerus.  There  can  be  small  won- 
der. His  embassy  to  Jesus  and  the  eulogy  of 
John  by  Jesus  help  us  to  see  the  pathos  of  the 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  gg 

effort  to  turn  the  people  to  holy  living.  While 
John  was  a  sort  of  hero  in  the  wilderness,  people 
flocked  around  him  in  spite  of  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees.  Even  so,  Jesus  has  been  a  popular 
idol  for  a  while  in  Judea  and  Galilee,  but  the 
ecclesiastics  will  have  none  of  him.  They  will 
have  neither  John  nor  Jesus,  but  only  their  own 
sort.  Bethsaida,  Chorazin,  Capernaum  have  all 
fallen  short.  But  Jesus  keeps  on  with  his  teach- 
ing.   The  Father  understands  him  at  any  rate. 

14.  The  Charge  of  the  Pharisees  (Matthew  12:   22^ 

37;  Mark  3:  19-30;  Luke  7:  36—8:  3). 

The  Pharisees  grew  increasingly  suspicious, 
even  those  who  showed  courtesies  of  hospitality 
to  Jesus.  A  special  tour  of  Galilee  by  Jesus  and 
the  twelve  and  a  band  of  women  workers  stirred 
up  fresh  animosity.  The  Pharisees  openly 
charged  that  Jesus  was  in  league  with  Beelzebub 
and  cast  out  demons  by  the  power  of  Beelzebub, 
or  Satan.  Jesus  retorted  that,  in  thus  attributing 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  devil,  they  had 
become  guilty  of  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Spirit,  a  sin  that  would  never  be  forgiven.  He 
called  them  offspring  of  vipers,  as  John  had  done. 

15.  The  Pity  of  the  Family  of  Jesus  (Mark  3:  19-20, 

31-35;  Matthew  12:  46-50;  Luke  8:  19-21). 

The  charge  of  the  Pharisees  seems  to  have 
made  an  impression  on  the  family  of  Jesus,  who 
concluded  that  he  was  beside  himself,  and  came 
to  take  him  home  and  out  of  the  whirl  and  ex- 


90  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

citement  of  the  crowds.  It  was  a  pathetic  situa- 
tion as  Jesus  found  that  even  his  mother  had,  for 
the  moment,  lost  heart  about  him.  It  was  hard 
for  Mary  to  understand  this  turn  of  affairs  when 
all  the  religious  leaders  were  against  Jesus.  He 
announced  a  spiritual  fellowship  with  all  those 
who  did  the  will  of  his  Father  and  declined  to  go 
home. 

16.   The  Use  of  Parables  (Matthew  13;  1-53;  Mark  4: 
1-34;  Luke  8:  4-18). 

The  teaching  of  Jesus  is  the  wonder  of  the 
ages,  both  as  to  content  and  as  to  method.  The 
world  is  only  now  beginning  to  comprehend  the 
far-reaching  nature  of  the  teaching  of  Jesus  in 
its  application  to  all  the  relations  of  life  (ethical, 
social,  political,  religious).  But  no  less  remark- 
.able  was  his  method.  The  new  learning  concern- 
ing psychology  and  pedagogy  finds  apt  illustra- 
tion in  the  processes  of  thought  revealed  in  the 
teaching  of  Christ.  He  knew  how  to  attract  at- 
tention, to  hold  it,  to  clinch  his  point,  to  reach  the 
will,  to  stir  the  conscience.  He  was  intensely 
personal  and  offered  himself  as  the  Teacher  of 
God,  who  alone  understood  the  Father.  He  in- 
vited all  to  come  to  school  to  him  (take  his  yoke 
upon  them)  and  learn  of  him.  Thus  alone  would 
they  find  rest  to  their  souls.  Parables  were  in  com- 
mon use  by  the  rabbis,  but  there  are  no  parables 
like  those  of  Jesus  for  charm  of  thought,  beauty 
of  form,  clearness  of  application.  They  were  ob- 
scure to  the  spiritually  dull  or  the  hostile,  and 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  91 

helped  the  believer  to  retain  and  to  understand 
the  truth.  Jesus  spoke  many  single  parables  and 
sometimes  great  groups  about  the  kingdom 
(growth  and  consummation  of  life).  They  are 
"earthly  stories  with  heavenly  meanings." 

17.  The  Twelve  Tested  as  Preachers  (Matthew  10: 

5—11:  1;  Mark  6:  7-13;  Luke  9:  1-6). 

Jesus  had  already  made  two  tours  of  Galilee, 
but  now  he  sent  twelve  ahead  of  him  by  twos.  It 
was  an  experiment  to  see  how  they  could  do  the 
work  of  teaching  and  healing.  He  gave  them 
special  and  careful  instructions  for  their  trip 
through  Galilee.  They  needed  guileless  wisdom 
and  courage.  The  result  was  good,  and  even 
Herod  Antipas  was  stirred  to  fresh  anxiety,  think- 
ing that  Jesus  was  John  the  Baptist  come  to  life 
again,  for  his  guilty  conscience  lashed  him  still 
(Mark  6:  14). 

18.  The    Outcome    In    Galilee   (Matthew  14:    13-36; 

Mark  6:  30-56;  Luke  9:  10-17;  John  6:  1-71). 

The  fame  of  Jesus  was  at  its  height  in  Galilee 
at  the  close  of  the  tour.  It  was  even  augmented 
by  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  on  the  slope 
of  the  hills  near  Bethsaida  Julias.  The  masses 
were  eager  to  take  Jesus  by  force  and  make  him 
king.  They  felt  sure  that  the  long-looked-for 
Messiah  who  was  to  set  the  Jews  free  from  the 
Roman  yoke  had  come  at  last.  Jesus  saw  the 
peril  of  the  situation  and  dismissed  the  crowds 
and  sent  the  apostles  over  to  Capernaum  in  the 


92  '    studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

boat.  He  himself  sought  the  Father  alone  in  the 
mountains.  No  one  else  understood  him  at  this 
hour.  The  apostles  themselves  were  in  peril  now. 
Next  day  in  the  synagogue  at  Capernaum  the 
fickle  crowd  came  hungering  for  more  bread  and 
fishes.  V/hen  they  found  that  Jesus  disclaimed 
being  a  political  Messiah  with  free  rations  and 
meant  only  to  be  r.  spiritual  Saviour  who  was  to 
be  spiritually  appropriated,  they  left  the  syna- 
gogue in  disgust,  leaving  only  the  twelve  behind. 
They  remained  true  in  spite  of  the  wholesale 
departure  of  the  masses,  though  Jesus  foresaw 
that  one  of  the  twelve  would  betray  him.  The 
Galilean  bubble  had  burst.  They  did  not  want 
Jesus  now  that  they  understood  him. 

19.  Special  Training  for  the  Twelve  (Matthew  15: 
1—18:  35;  8:  19-22;  Mark  7:  1—9:  50;  Luke 
9:  18-62;  John  7:  1-10). 

It  is  now  just  a  year  (John  6:  4)  till  the  end. 
Jesus  did  not  go  up  to  this  passover.  The  situa- 
tion had  become  so  acute  in  Capernaum  and  Gali- 
lea  generally  that  Jesus  withdrew  for  about  six 
months  in  order  to  escape  the  hostility  of  the 
Pharisees,  the  jealousy  of  Herod  Antipas,  and  the 
fanaticism  of  his  nominal  followers.  Besides,  his 
apostles  greatly  needed  instruction  if  they  were 
to  be  at  all  ready  for  the  event  of  his  death.  So 
he  took  them  out  of  the  country  into  heathen  ter- 
ritory (Tyre  and  Sidon,  Decapolis,  the  region  of 
Caesarea  Philippi).  It  was  in  the  hot  season  and 
they  were  by  the  sea  or  in  the  mountains.  Being 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  93 

in  heathen  territory   (cf.  the  case  of  the  Syro- 
Phoenician    woman),    Jesus    would    have    more 
leisure  for  the  special  teaching.    Just  before  they 
left,  the  Pharisees  from  Jerusalem  made  a  fresh 
attack  on  the  ground  that  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
ate  with  unwashed  hands.     The  reply  of  Jesus, 
with  its  keen  irony,  angered  them  so  much  that 
Peter  ventured  to  ask  if  Jesus  had  noticed  it. 
It  was  high  time  to  get  the  apostles  away.    Only 
once  during  this  period  did  Jesus  make  a  brief 
visit  back  from  Decapolis  to  Galilee  (Dalmanutha 
or  Magadan),  and  at  once    the    Pharisees    and 
the  Sadducees  (for  the  first  time)  join  in  efforts 
to  entrap  him.     The  climax  came  in  the  region 
of  Csesarea  Philippi,  when  Jesus  put  the  apostles 
to    the    test   concerning   their    opinion    of    him. 
Peter's   response  as  spokesman  was  noble   and 
true,  though  he  probably  did  not  yet  comprehend 
fully  the  significance  of  his  words,  probably  still 
looking  for  a  poHtical  Messiah.    But  it  was  loyal 
and  Jesus  accepted  it  in  that  sense.     However, 
when  soon  afterwards,    Jesus    began  to  reveal 
plainly  the  nature  of  his  Messiahship  as  involv- 
ing his  death,  Peter  and  all  of  them  failed  utterly 
to  understand  Jesus  on  that  point.     The  philos- 
ophy of  the  Cross  was  as  yet  beyond  them.   This 
was  true,  even  after  the  Transfiguration,  which 
was  meant  to  help  them,  as  it  did  Jesus.     The 
apostles  seemed  unable  to  grasp  the  conception 
of  a  Messiah  who  was  to  die  and  rise  on  the  third 
day.    Their  minds  even  turned  to  petty  disputes 


94  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

about  their  own  greatness  as  they  returned  to 
Capernaum.  It  was  now  only  six  months  till 
the  end  and  their  minds  were  still  holden. 

20.    Fierce  Frenzy  In  Jerusalem  (John  7:  11 — 10:  21). 

Jesus  determined  to  go  again  to  Jerusalem  at 
the  feast  of  tabernacles.  It  had  probably  been  a 
year  and  a  half  since  he  had  been  there.  His 
brothers  (John  7 :  2-9)  had  ridiculed  him  for  stay- 
ing away.  In  the  city  there  was  speculation  about 
his  coming  (John  7:  iif).  The  Galilean  multi- 
tude at  the  feast  were  divided  about  him.  The 
Jerusalem  authorities  were  hostile.  The  populace 
in  the  city  were  scornful.  In  this  medley  Jesus 
came  in  the  midst  of  the  feast  and  openly  taught 
in  the  temple.  Not  only  so,  but  he  held  at  bay  his 
adversaries  in  open  debate  and  won  sympathy 
from  the  crowd  of  strangers  there.  The  attempt 
of  the  Sanhedrin  to  have  Jesus  arrested  brought 
Nicodemus  to  the  fore  as  a  champion  of  fair  play 
for  Jesus.  For  a  few  days  after  the  feast  Jesus 
was  bitterly  attacked  by  the  Pharisees  whom  he 
exposed  with  scathing  denunciation,  claiming  ex- 
istence before  Abraham  and  angering  them  be- 
yond all  control.  The  healing  and  the  conversion 
of  the  man  born  blind  is  a  fine  study  in  humor 
and  raillery  and  pathos  in  the  outcome.  Jesuf 
drew  the  pictures  of  himself  and  the  Pharisees 
by  the  allegory  of  the  good  shepherd  and  the  rob- 
bers, and  left  the  city. 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus.  95 

21.    Waiting  for  His  Hour  (Luke  10:  1—17:  10;  John 
10:  22-42). 

John  expressly  stated  that  even  the  soldiers  at 
the  feast  of  tabernacles  could  not  take  Jesus  be- 
cause his  hour  had  not  come.  It  was  rapidly  com- 
ing, but  was  not  yet.  So  in  Judea  Jesus  labored 
between  the  feast  of  tabernacles  and  the  feast 
of  dedication  (three  months).  The  seventy  were 
sent  on  a  special  tour  and  returned  with  joy. 
This  later  Judean  ministry  duplicates  in  vari- 
ous ways  the  experiences  in  Galilee.  The  par- 
able of  the  good  Samaritan  stands  out  as  a  re- 
buke to  a  sharp  lawyer.  Jesus  had  a  home  with 
the  family  (Martha,  Mary  and  Lazarus)  at  Beth- 
any, near  Jerusalem.  On  his  return  to  Jerusalem 
at  the  feast  of  dedication,  Jesus  was  met  again 
with  keen  criticism  by  his  enemies,  who  charged 
him  with  claiming  to  be  equal  with  God.  By  a 
skillful  reply  Jesus  evaded  them  and  left  again, 
this  time  for  Perea  (Bethany,  beyond  Jordan). 
The  ministry  in  Perea  apparently  lasted  a  couple 
of  months  and,  like  the  later  Judean  ministry,  is 
Luke*s  contribution  \:o  die  gospel  story.  The  five 
great  parables  in  Luke  15  and  16  belong  here 
beside  the  three  in  Luke  14.  The  Pharisees  at- 
tacked Jesus  here  also  and  sought  to  entangle 
him  with  Herod  Antipas  or  tc  drive  him  back  to 
Jerusalem. 


96  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

22.  The  Raising  of  Lazarus  (John  11:  11-54). 

The  deliberate  refusal  of  Jesus  to  go  at  once 
in  response  to  the  appeal  of  Martha  and  Mary  to 
come  to  Lazarus  puzzled  them  greatly.  That  he 
went  at  all  so  near  Jerusalem  after  his  recent  ex- 
periences there  shocked  the  apostles.  They  went 
with  him  with  the  courage  of  despair,  but  Jesus 
went  as  a  conqueror.  He  did  conquer  death. 
Martha  rose  to  a  great  height  of  faith  in  her 
confession  to  Jesus,  who  showed  special  sym- 
pathy with  Mary's  sorrow.  The  fact  that  John 
alone  records  this  miracle  is  urged  against  its 
historicity,  but  the  silence  of  the  synoptics  may 
be  due  to  the  fact  that  Lazarus  was  still  alive  and 
the  object  of  Jewish  hate  when  the  synoptic  Gos- 
pels were  written.  The  miracle  in  itself  is  no 
more  incredible  than  the  other  cases  of  raising 
from  the  dead.  The  effect  of  the  miracle  was 
tremendous.  The  Sanhedrin  was  stirred  to  activ- 
ity and  formally  planned  the  death  of  Jesus  for 
his  audacity  and  his  power.  Jesus  withdrew  to 
the  hills  of  Ephraim,  near  where  he  was  in  the 
temptation  at  the  beginning  of  his  work. 

23.  Going  to  iVIeet  His  Hour  (Matthew  19:  1—20:  34; 

Mark  10:  1-52;  Luke  17:  11—19:  28). 

Jesus  left  the  hills  of  Ephraim,  went  north 
through  Samaria  into  Galilee  to  join  the  caravan 
from  Galilee  to  the  passover,  crossed  with  it  over 
the  Jordan  below  the  Sea  of  Galilee  into  Perea, 
and  slowly  made  his  way  south.  The  Pharisees 
were  very  active  in  provoking  Jesus  to  speak 


The  Brief  Ministry  of  Jesus,  97 

about  the  kingdom,  divorce,  etc.  The  apostles 
themselves  seem  to  have  been  aroused  by  the 
great  crowds  and  showed  rivalry  about  their  own 
places  in  the  kingdom,  in  spite  of  Christ's  plain 
words  about  his  death  as  a  ransom  for  sin.  At 
•Jericho  the  crowd  was  on  the  qui  vive  of  ex- 
pectancy, thinking  that  now  at  last  Jesus  would 
set  up  his  Messianic  kingdom. 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  The  Holy  Spirit  and  Jesus. 

2.  The  Father  and  Jesus. 

3.  Jesus  and  John  the  Baptist. 

4.  The  devil  and  Jesus. 

5.  The  rabbis  and  Jesus. 

6.  The  Samaritans. 

7.  Christ's  claims  about  himself. 

8.  The  tv/elve  apostles. 

9.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount. 

10.  Galilee. 

11.  Capernaum. 

12.  The  Sea  of  Galilee. 

13.  Jesus  as  a  teacher. 

14.  The  parables  of  Jesus. 

15.  The  miracles  of  Jesus. 

16.  The  teaching  of  Jesus. 

17.  Reasons  for  the  hostility  of  the  Pharisees. 

18.  Reasons  for  the  hostility  of  the  Sadducees. 

19.  Reasons  for  the  dulness  of  the  apostles 
about  the  death  of  Christ. 

7 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE  TRAGEDY  IN  JERUSALEM. 


1.  The  Tension   About  Jesus    (John   11:    55 — 12:    1, 

9-11). 

Six  days  before  the  passover  Jesus  came  on 
to  Bethany  and  made  his  home  with  Martha, 
Mary  and  Lazarus.  The  city  was  all  agog  over 
the  question  of  whether  he  wiould  now  dare  face 
the  open  enmity  of  the  Sanhedrin  who  had  deter- 
mined on  his  death.  They  had  even  given  orders 
for  the  whereabouts  of  Jesus  to  be  made  known 
that  he  might  be  arrested.  Opinion  seemed  to 
be  that  he  would  not  come.  But  the  common 
people  soon  learned  that  he  was  in  Bethany  and 
went  out  to  see  him  and  Lazarus,  whom  he  had 
raised  from  the  dead.  The  chief  priests  (Sad- 
ducees)  determined  to  kill  Lazarus  also,  as  he 
was  a  refutation  of  their  doctrine  that  there  was 
no  resurrection  and  was  winning  many  to  believe 
on  Jesus. 

2.  The  Courage  of  Christ  (Matthew  21:  1-17;  Mark 

11:  1-11;  Luke  19:  29-44;  John  12:  12-19). 

Jesus  made  deliberate  preparations  to  announce 
himself  as  Messiah  in  a  formal  and  unmistakable 
(08) 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem.  99 

manner.  He  had  steadily  refused  to  do  this  since 
the  early  part  of  his  ministry  because  it  would 
bring  matters  to  a  focus  too  soon.  The  people 
understood  that  he  really  claimed  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah by  the  use  of  terms,  like  Son  of  God  and 
Son  of  man,  but  they  looked  for  a  political  Mes- 
siah, which  Jesus  refused  to  be.  His  enemies 
had  tried  hard  to  make  him  say  in  plain  language 
that  he  claimed  to  be  Messiah  so  that  they  might 
have  a  charge  of  blasphemy  against  him.  Even 
now  he  will  not  use  these  words,  but  he  will  allow 
himself  to  be  hailed  as  the  Son  of  David.  The 
triumphal  entry  was  a  defiance  of  his  enemies  and 
a  proclamation  of  his  Messiahship  by  an  act  that 
all  would  understand.  The  people  were  beside 
themselves  with  joy  as  they  marched  into  the  city 
over  the  slope  of  Olivet.  The  crowds  brought 
dismay  to  the  Pharisees,  but  Jesus  was  not  de- 
ceived. He  knew  full  well  that  Jerusalem  would 
put  him  to  death  and  bring  doom  upon  itself.  But 
he  went  on  into  the  courts  of  the  temple  itself  and 
was  there  hailed  by  the  children  as  the  Son  of 
David,  to  the  disgust  of  the  ecclesiastics. 

3.  The  Coming  of  the  Greeks  (Matthew  21:  18-22, 
12f;  Mark  11:  11-25;  Luke  19:  45-48;  John  12: 
20-50). 

The  triumphal  entry  was  on  Sunday  morning 
Monday  morning  Jesus  went  back  from  Bethany 
to  the  temple  tr  find  a  great  crowd  gathered  there 
to  hear  him.     He  was  for  the  moment  the  hero 
of  Jerusalem  instead  of  being  a  hunted  refugee. 


100  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

He  asserted  his  authority  over  the  temple  by 
cleansing  it  once  again  as  at  the  beginning  (John 
2).  The  rulers  quailed  before  him  and  gnashed 
their  teeth  in  impotent  rage.  The  request  of  some 
Greeks  present  at  the  passover  to  be  introduced 
to  the  great  Teacher  threw  Philip  and  even  An- 
drew into  a  panic,  for  the  middle  wall  or  parti- 
tion between  Jew  and  Greek  stood  in  their  path. 
The  incident  greatly  agitated  the  heart  of  Jesus, 
who  saw  clearly  that  only  by  his  Cross  would  this 
wa'i'  be  broken  down  (cf.  Ephesians  2).  Thus, 
when  lifted  up,  he  would  draw  all  classes  of  men 
(Jew  and  Greek)  to  him  and  race  prejudice 
could  be  overcome.  By  dying  he  would  really 
live. 

4,  The  Last  Day  in  the  Temple  (Matthew  Zl:  23-- 
23:  39;  Mark  11:  27—12:  44;  Uike  20:  1— 
21:  4). 

On  Tuesday  morning,  when  Jesus  came  Into 
the  temple,  he  met  organized  opposition  designed 
to  ruin  his  influence  over  the  people.  The  leaders 
of  the  Sanhedrin  (both  Pharisees  and  Sadducees) 
challenged  his  authority  for  what  he  was  doing 
(the  triumphal  entry,  cleansmg  of  the  temple, 
public  teaching  in  the  temple).  They  were  with- 
in their  technical  rights  in  so  doing,  as  Jesus  was 
not  a  recognized  rabbi  and  had  no  ecclesiastical 
standing.  The  reply  of  Jesus,  however,  threw 
them  into  consternation.  The  only  human  author- 
ity that  Jesus  had  came  from  John,  who  had  bap- 
tized and  identified  him  as  the  Messiah.    So  Jesus 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem.  IQl 

asked  their  opinion  of  John's  baptism.  They  were 
helplessly  hung  on  the  horns  of  their  dilemma. 
Jesus  turned  on  them  with  three  stories  and  with 
pitiless  power  tore  the  mask  from  their  faces, 
predicting  that  God  would  take  his  kingdom  away 
from  them  and  give  it  to  a  nation  bringing  forth 
the  fruits  thereof.  In  turn  the  disciples  of  the 
Pharisees  (students  from  the  rabbinical  semi- 
nary) and  the  Herodians  came  against  Christ, 
followed  by  the  Sadducees  and  a  lawyer,  all  of 
whom  went  down  in  utter  defeat  like  chaff  before 
the  wind.  Jesus  then  turned  upon  them  and  de- 
manded that  they  explain  how  the  Messiah  was 
both  Lord  of  David  and  Son  of  David  (the  prob- 
lem of  the  deity  and  the  humanity  of  the  Mes- 
siah). They  were  speechless,  and  the  common 
people  heard  Jesus  gladly  as  he  routed  his  ene- 
mies. The  end  came  in  the  really  fierce  denun- 
ciation of  the  Pharisees  as  hypocrites  (Matthew 
23),  when  Jesus  at  last  unbosomed  his  indigna- 
tion against  them  for  their  hollow  pretense  as 
religious  guides,  in  reality  dragging  men  into 
hell  after  themselves.  The  storm  was  terrific  and 
swept  them  all  away.  Jesus  exhausted,  sat  down 
and  watched  a  poor  widow  as  she  cast  two  mites, 
her  all,  into  the  treasury.  He  called  the  apostles 
to  him,  for  even  they  had  stepped  back  from  him 
during  the  storm  of  wrath.  Jesus  passed  out  of 
the  temple  of  his  Father,  never  to  enter  it  again. 


102  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

6.  The  Afternoon  on  Olivet  (Matthew  24:  1—25:  46; 

Mark  13:  1-37;  Luke  21:  5-36). 

The  apostles  were  perhaps  embarrassed  as  they 
passed  out  of  the  temple  buildings  and  probably 
sought  to  relieve  the  tension  by  remarks  about  the 
beautiful  buildings,  the  pride  of  all  Jews.  But 
Jesus  replied  that  not  one  stone  would  be  left 
upon  another.  They  went  up  to  the  top  of  Olivet 
and  sat  down  and  looked  upon  the  city  and  the 
temple  in  the  afternoon  sun.  The  disciples  took 
up  the  astonishing  remark  of  Christ.  Three 
catastrophies  were  in  the  mind  of  Jesus  (his  own 
death,  the  fate  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple,  the 
end  of  the  world).  The  fate  of  Jerusalem  would 
be  the  penalty  for  its  treatment  of  him,  and  was 
also  a  type  of  the  end  of  the  world.  The  pictures 
are  blended  and  for  us  blurred  in  the  presenta- 
tion like  the  perspective  through  the  picture  of 
an  open  window.  We  cannot  clearly  separate  the 
portions  of  this  great  eschatological  discourse 
that  deal  with  the  second  coming  or  end  of  the 
world  and  those  that  refer  to  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  Portions  may  refer  to  both.  At  the 
end  the  parables  picture  the  end  alone  and 
the  duty  of  watchfulness  and  readiness.  The 
disciples  were  thus  warned  in  time  for  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  though  some  critics 
will  have  it  that  these  narratives  were  written 
after  the  event.  This  apocalypse  of  Jesus  reminds 
one  of  the  Jewish  apocalypses  and  Revelation. 


The  Tragedy  *n  Jerusalem.  l()3 

6.    Plotting  Christ's  Death  (Matthew  26:  1-16;  Mark 
14:  1-11;  Luke  22:  1-6;  John  12:  2-8). 

The  Sanhedrin  met  on  this  very  Tuesday  night. 
It  was  intolerable  for  them  to  be  ridiculed  right 
in  the  temple  before  all  the  people.  If  they  could 
not  answer  him,  they  could  kill  him.  And  yet 
they  feared  to  touch  Jesus  while  the  feast  lasted 
because  of  the  presence  of  the  crowds  from  Gali- 
lee. It  was  wisdom  therefore  to  wait  till  the  feast 
was  over  and  the  crowds  had  departed.  At  this 
juncture  Judas  Iscariot  suddenly  appeared  at  the 
private  conference  of  the  rulers  with  a  plan  by 
which  they  could  seize  Jesus  during  the  feast.  It 
was,  in  a  word,  to  catch  him  at  night  while  pray- 
ing in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane.  They  offered 
Judas  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price  of  a  slave, 
and  he  accepted  the  bribe.  But  he  did  not  play 
the  traitor  merely  for  the  money,  though  he  was 
avaricious.  There  was  a  mixture  of  motives.  He 
had,  in  spite  of  the  triumphal  entry,  seen  Jesus 
denounce  the  leaders  of  the  land  and  proclaim  the 
downfall  of  Jerusalem.  On  this  very  night  Jesus 
had  predicted  his  own  death  after  two  more  days. 
There  was  nothing  in  the  so-called  kingdom  of 
God  for  Judas  with  the  King  dead.  Jesus  had, 
besides,  held  Judas  up  to  ridicule  before  the  com- 
pany at  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper  and  had 
praised  Mary  as  if  she  alone  had  insight  as  she 
anointed  him  beforehand  for  burial.  He  decided 
to  take  care  of  himself  and  save  what  he  could 
out  of  the  wreck.  He  could  get  some  revenge  at 
any  rate. 


104  studies  in  the  Ifew  Testament. 

7.  Rivalry  Among  the  Apostles  at  the  Last  Passover 

Meal    (Matthew   26:    17-20;    Mark   14:    12-17; 
Luke  22:  7-16,  24-30;  John  13:  1-20). 

This  is  one  of  the  saddest  of  all  occasions.  Je- 
sus had  looked  forward  to  and  had  planned  this 
last  meal  with  eager  anticipation.  It  was  the 
last  meal  together  and  was  at  the  regular  time 
(sundown  of  our  Thursday,  beginning  of  15th 
Nisan).  The  synoptics  are  clear  on  this  point, 
and  the  Gospel  of  John  really  agrees  with  this 
idea.  But,  when  they  assembled  in  the  quiet 
chamber  already  prepared  (probably  in  the  homiC 
of  Mary,  the  mother  of  John  Mark),  Jesus  found 
the  twelve  disciples  in  a  contention  as  to  which 
deserved  the  honor  of  reclining  next  to  him  at 
table.  He  rebuked  them  for  acting  like  the 
heathen,  but  they  continued  their  strife  after  it 
was  settled  and  John  the  apostle  had  the  post  of 
honor.  Presently  Jesus  arose  (right  in  the  midst 
of  the  meal)  and  washed  their  feet  to  give  them 
an  object  lesson  in  humility. 

8.  Pointing   Out  the   Betrayer   (Matthew  26:    21-25, 

31-35;  Mark  14:  18-21,  27-31;  Luke  22:  21-23, 
31-38;  John  13:  21-38). 

It  was  a  sad  meal.  Finally  Jesus  looked  up 
and  said :  "One  of  you  shall  betray  me."  To 
all  but  Judas  it  was  like  a  bolt  out  of  the  blue. 
They  asked  in  alarm :  "Is  it  I  ?"  Even  Judas  put 
on  a  bold  face  and  bluffed  the  situation  through. 
But  Jesus  revealed  to  Judas  that  he  knew  all 
about  his  plot,  and  bade  him  be  gone.    The  rest, 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem.  1Q5 

stunned  as  they  were,  did  not  comprehend  what 
passed  between  Jesus  and  Judas.  So  Judas  went 
out  into  the  night.  The  devil  had  closed  in  on 
Judas  and  had  taken  his  own.  Could  he  win  any 
of  the  rest?  He  would  certainly  try,  since  he 
had  endeavored  to  tempt  Jesus  himself.  Jesus 
warned  the  apostles  that  Satan  would  sift  them 
all  like  wheat.  The  devil  rejoices  in  the  downfall 
of  a  preacher.  In  particular  Jesus  said  that  he 
had  prayed  for  Simon  Peter.  This  special  con- 
cern excited  the  indignation  of  Peter,  who  pro- 
tested that  he  would  be  faithful  to  death  though 
all  men  forsook  him.  So  said  they  all.  The  warn- 
ing of  Jesus  went  so  far  as  to  predict  that  this 
very  night  Peter  would  deny  him.  Surely  it  was 
a  critical  time.  What  were  two  swords  in  such 
an  emergency. 

9.  The  Memorial  of  Christ's  Death  (Matthew  26:  26- 
29;  Mark  14:  22-25;  Luke  22:  17-20;  1  Corinth- 
ians 11:  23-26). 

The  solemnity  of  the  moment  was  evident.  Je- 
sus gave  a  mystical  and  symbolic  turn  to  it  all 
by  suddenly  taking  the  bread  and  the  wine  and 
presenting  each  to  the  apostles  as  a  picture  of 
his  death  for  the  remission  of  sin  and  a  memorial 
of  his  death  and  a  pledge  of  his  return.  The 
ancients  had  their  mysteries  and  mystic  meals. 
The  idea  was  a  common  one  all  over  the  world, 
but  Jesus  seized  it  and  hallowed  it  to  help  the  dis- 
ciples and  their  followers  to  comprehend  and  to 
preserve  the  power  of  his  death  and  resurrection 


106  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

and  their  mystical  appropriation  of  Christ  and 
union  with  each  other  in  Christ  (i  Corinthians 
lo:  17).  The  disciples  were  probably  too  dazed 
to  understand  it  all  as  yet.  Paul  tells  us  that  he 
got  his  account  of  the  event  directly  from  the 
Lord  and  Luke  follows  Paul's  narrative.  Mat- 
thew and  Mark  are  nearly  identical. 

10.   The  Farewell  Discourse  (Jolin  14-17). 

The  synoptic  Gospels  tell  no  more  of  what  took 
place  in  that  upper  room,  save  that  they  sang  a 
hymn  and  went  out  (Matthew  26:  30;  Mark 
14:  26)  to  Gethsemane.  But  the  Fourth  Gospel 
gives  a  most  remarkable  account  of  Christ's  talk 
and  prayer  after  the  supper.  It  is  the  very  heart 
of  Christ,  full  of  tenderness,  sympathy,  love  and 
yearning  to  help  them.  Part  of  it,  after  John 
14:  31,  may  have  been  on  the  way  to  Gethsemane 
or  while  standing  before  going  out.  Jesus  un- 
dertook to  comfort  the  disciples  in  view  of  his 
departure.  They  listened  at  first  in  mild  protest, 
but  finally  became  silent  as  Jesus  talked  on  about 
the  heavenly  home,  the  way  to  it,  his  revelation 
of  the  Father,  his  coming  back,  the  new  Com- 
forter to  take  his  place  (the  Holy  Spirit),  their 
union  with  him  as  the  branches  with  the  vine, 
their  love  for  each  other,  the  new  light  from  the 
great  Teacher  (the  Holy  Spirit).  Then  he 
ceased  and  prayed  the  wonderful  prayer  of  con- 
secration as  he  placed  them  in  the  hands  of  the 
Father.  He  longed  for  unity  of  spirit  in  their 
work  in  lieu  of  the  spirit   of   jealousy   alr«^dy 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem,  1(yj 

among  them.    In  the  hush  of  the  night  they  went 
on  to  Gethsemane. 

11.  The  Struggle  In  the  Garden  (Matthew  26:  36-46; 

Mark  14:  32-42;  Luke  22:  39-46;  John  18:  1). 

It  was  the  custom  of  Jesus  to  go  to  a  special 
spot  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  to  pray  alone. 
He  had  his  place  of  prayer  (his  own  proseuche) . 
He  knew  what  Judas  would  do  and  wished  a 
time  of  privacy  with  the  Father.  So  he  stationed 
two  groups  of  the  disciples  on  guard  (first'* the 
eight,  then  Peter,  James  and  John).  It  was  little 
enough  for  them  to  do  while  Jesus  sought 
strength  for  his  great  ordeal — ^^strength  that  only 
the  Father  could  give.  It  was  his  hour  of  great- 
est peril  and  he  needed  sorely  human  sympathy 
and  divine  help.  The  devil  met  him  again  in  his 
hour  of  weakness,  as  before  after  his  long  fast. 
The  first  cry  of  recoil  from  the  heart  of  Jesus  was 
the  human  protest  against  the  sin  of  the  world  as 
it  relied  upon  his  soul.  He  quickly  recovered 
and  submitted  to  drink  the  cup  to  the  bottom. 
The  agony  was  intense.  Three  times  he  sought 
fellowship  with  the  three  disciples.  Each  time 
they  failed  him  (in  their  sleep).  An  angel  came 
to  strengthen  him,  when  men  did  not.  But  he 
won  the  victory  and  was  now  ready  for  Calvary. 

12.  The  Betrayal  (Matthew  26:  47-56;  Mark  14:  43- 

52;  Luke  22:  47-53;  John  18:  2-12). 

Judas  knew  the  place  and  the  habits  of  Jesus, 
and  took  advantage  of  his  knowledge  to  consum- 


108  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

mate  his  diabolical  deed.  He  came  with  Roman 
soldiers  and  a  great  multitude.  Jesus  asserted  his 
power  and  made  it  plain  that  his  surrender  was 
voluntary.  But  even  so,  Judas  persisted  in  his 
prearranged  plan,  and  kissed  Jesus  to  give  the 
sign.  The  instinct  of  Peter  made  him  fight,  and 
he  cut  off  the  right  ear  of  i\Ialchus,  servant  of  the 
high  priest,  in  an  effort  to  cut  off  his  head.  But 
Jesus  made  Peter  sheath  his  sword  and  all  was 
over.  Jesus  had  surrendered  and  would  not  let 
the  disciples  fight  for  him.  It  was  all  incredible, 
but  only  too  true.  They  all  fled  in  terror  to  save 
their  own  lives.  Peter  was  in  special  jeopardy 
because  of  his  rash  deed.  It  was  the  hour  and  the 
power  of  darkness  as  they  led  Jesus  away  bound. 

13.    Jesus     Mistreated    by    Annas    (John   12:    12-14, 
19-23) 

It  was  not  a  trial,  for  Annas  was  not  now  high 
priest,  though  his  son-in-law,  Caiaphas,  was. 
While  the  Sanhedrin  was  assembling,  Jesus  was 
left  with  Annas,  who  used  his  opportunity  to 
speak  slightingly  of  the  disciples  and  the  teach- 
ing of  Jesus.  The  Master  demanded  a  fair  trial, 
as  was  his  right,  when  struck  by  a  by-stander. 
He  did  not  turn  the  other  cheek,  nor  did  he  strike 
back. 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem.  IQQ 

14.  Arraigned  Before  the  Sanhedrin  (Matthew  26: 
57,  59-68;  27:  If;  Mark  14:  53,  55-65;  15:  1; 
Luke  22:  54,  63—23:  1;  John  18:  24,  28). 

The  Sanhedrin  was  hurriedly  gathered  together 
at  once,  and  it  was  a  full  meeting,  though  prob- 
ably Nicodemus  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea  were 
not  summoned.  The  whole  proceeding  was  a 
farce.  The  Sanhedrin  no  longer  had  the  power 
of  death,  but  they  were  bent  on  condemning  Je- 
sus, partly  as  a  protest  against  the  loss  of  their 
power,  but  mainly  out  of  revenge  for  what  Jesus 
had  done  to  them.  The  meeting,  besides,  was  at 
night,  which  was  illegal  in  capital  cases.  Then 
there  had  been  no  indictment  and  no  papers  for 
his  arrest.  He  was  arraigned  before  the  San- 
hedrin with  no  charge  against  him.  There  were 
no  witnesses,  nor  was  Jesus  allov/ed  to  produce 
any.  Besides,  the  Sanhedrin  acted  as  prosecutors 
as  well  as  judges.  They  actually  had  to  bribe  wit- 
nesses to  testify  against  Jesus.  Even  so,  the  false 
witnesses  perverted  what  Jesus  had  said  about  the 
temple  and  disagreed  among  themselves.  Then 
the  high  priest  put  Jesus  on  oath  and  made  him 
testify  against  himself.  On  his  own  confession 
that  he  was  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God,  he  was 
accused  of  blasphemy  and  condemned.  Jesus 
need  not  have  testified  except  that  to  refuse  now 
would  be  interpreted  as  denial.  So  they  con- 
demned him  to  death  and  mocked  him  besides. 
To  give  a  little  more  appearance  of  legality  to 
what  had  been  done  they  met  again  after  day  and 
took  the  vote  over. 


110  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

15.  Peter's   Denials   (Matthew   26:    58,   69-75;    Mark 

14:  54,  66-72;  Luke  22:  54-62;  John  18:  15-18. 
25-27). 

It  is  a  pitiful  story  that  meets  us  here.  Peter 
had  not  the  courage  to  go  into  the  court  room,  as 
John  did,  nor  could  he  stay  away  entirely,  like 
the  other  disciples.  So  he  took  a  middle  course 
and  lingered  in  the  open  court  by  the  fire  with 
the  servants,  hoping  to  hide  himself  and  yet  be 
near  enough  to  see  what  was  going  on.  He  was 
soon  recognized  and  all  of  a  sudden  denied  know- 
ing Jesus.  He  apparently  went  back  to  the  door, 
for  the  accounts  vary  in  the  order  of  events,  and 
was  again  charged  with  being  a  follower  of  Je- 
sus. It  was  an  hour  later,  when  back  by  the  fire, 
that  a  kinsman  of  Malchus,  whose  ear  Peter  had 
cut  off,  asked  if  he  had  not  seen  him  in  the 
garden.  That  was  too  much  and  meant  that 
Peter  himself  was  in  dire  peril  of  his  life.  So, 
alas,  he  denied  with  oaths  and  cursings.  Jesus 
saw  him  through  the  open  door  and  the  look 
broke  Peter's  heart.  How  are  the  mighty  fallen ! 
And  the  cock  crew  and  Peter  went  out  and  wept 
bitterly. 

16.  Suicide  of  Judas  (Matthew  27:  3-10;  Acts  1:  18f). 
It  is  possible  that  Judas  hoped  that  at  the  last 

Jesus  would  show  his  power  and  escape  the  hands 
of  his  enemies.  He  may  even  have  imagined  that 
the  arrest  would  force  Jesus  to  assert  his  claims 
as  political  Messiah.  One  can  never  know  the 
processes  of  a  sordid  heart  like  that  of  Judas.  At 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem.  m 

any  rate  remorse  came.  He  flung  down  the 
money,  the  price  of  blood,  at  the  feet  of  the  San- 
hedrin  and  went  and  hanged  himself,  falling 
headlong  and  bursting  in  two.  It  was  a  potter's 
field  bought  with  the  price  of  blood  and  stained 
with  Judas'  blood. 

17.  Brought  Before  Pilate  (Matthew  27:  11-14;  Mark 
15:  2-5;  Luke  23:  2-5;  John  18:  28-38). 

The  Sanhedrin  brought  Jesus  before  Pilate,  the 
Roman  procurator,  as  soon  as  possible  by  sun- 
rise (John  19:  14).  They  were  feverishly  eager 
to  have  the  condemnation  by  Pilate  over  before 
the  people  came  into  the  city  from  the  hills  out- 
side where  they  camped.  They  said  nothing  to 
Pilate  about  their  trial  and  condemnation  of  Je- 
sus or  about  the  charge  of  blasphemy.  Instead 
of  that,  they  made  three  others  (perverting  the 
nation,  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar,  claim- 
ing to  be  a  king).  The  first  was  vague,  the  second 
flatly  untrue.  The  third  was  untrue  in  the  sense 
meant,  for  Jesus  did  not  claim  to  be  a  political 
king,  but  only  a  spiritual  king,  as  the  Sanhedrin 
well  knew.  In  truth,  the  chief  ground  of  dis- 
satisfaction on  the  part  of  the  Pharisees  was  pre- 
cisely that  Jesus  would  not  be  a  political  Messiah. 
Pilate  had  to  notice  this  charge,  for  it  was  really 
high  treason.  But  he  soon  learned  by  private 
examination  that  Jesus  did  not  claim  to  be  a 
rival  to  Caesar.  He  pronounced  Jesus  innocent 
and  wished  to  set  him  free,  but  the  rulers  cried 
out  more  than  ever. 


112  Studies  in  the  l^eio  Testament. 

18.  Sent  to  Herod  Antipas  (Luke  23:  6-12). 

The  mention  of  Galilee  by  the  rulers  gave  Pi- 
late a  ray  of  hope.  That  was  the  country  of 
Herod  Antipas,  who  disliked  Pilate.  He  could 
placate  Herod  and  get  rid  of  a  troublesome  case 
at  the  same  time.  Besides,  Herod  had  never  seen 
Jesus  and  was  eager  to  see  him  perform  some 
miracle  like  a  miracle-monger.  But  he  got  never 
a  word  out  of  Jesus  and  he  sent  him  back  to 
Pilate  in  mock  array  of  splendor. 

19.  Condemned  to  Death  by  Pilate  (Matthew  27:  15- 

30;  Mark  15:  6'-19;  Luke  23:  13-25;  John  18: 
39—19:  16). 

Pilate's  ruse  to  escape  responsibility  had  failed. 
He  was  afraid  to  offend  the  Jews,  since  they 
would  complain  to  Rome  about  him,  and  already 
they  had  a  number  of  scores  against  him.  He 
knew  that  the  Sanhedrin  had  brought  Jesus  be- 
fore him  for  envy,  and,  besides,  his  wife  had 
warned  him  about  a  dream  that  she  had  had.  He 
had  one  more  recourse.  He  tried  to  get  the  people 
to  call  for  Jesus  as  the  prisoner  to  be  set  free  at 
the  feast  according  to  custom.  But  once  more 
the  Sanhedrin  outwitted  him  and  stirred  up  a 
cry  for  Barabbas.  In  response  to  the  question 
of  their  wish  about  Jesus  they  responded :  "Cru- 
cify him."  Some  of  the  very  voices  that  on  Sun- 
day hailed  him  as  Messiah  on  Friday  clamored 
for  his  death.  Pilate  weakly  yielded  to  the 
clamor  after  further  futile  attempts  to  stop  it. 
When  the  rulers  threatened  to  report  him  to  Cas- 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem.  113 

sar,  he  gave  up  and  agreed  to  the  death  of  a 
man  whom  he  had  repeatedly  pronounced  inno- 
cent. Like  other  guilty  men,  he  sought  to  wash 
his  hands  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  while  the  people 
took  that  blood  upon  themselves  and  upon  their 
children.    There  was  guilt  enough  for  all. 

20.  Led  Out  to  Execution  (Matthew  27:  31-34;  Mark 

15:  20^23;  Luke  23:  26-33;  John  19;  16f). 

The  rough  Roman  soldiers  made  sport  of  Je- 
sus till  he  was  led  out  to  be  crucified  at  nine 
o'clock.  The  cross  was  borne  at  first  by  Jesus 
himself  as  was  the  custom  with  criminals.  The 
impressment  of  Simon  of  Cyrene  was  a  whim  of 
the  soldiers.  Jesus  had  to  endure  the  shame  of 
the  Via  Dolorosa.  The  place  of  the  crucifixion 
was  outside  of  the  city,  near  a  garden,  and  near 
a  highway.  The  most  probable  place  is  what  is 
called  Gordon's  Calvary,  to  the  north  of  the  city. 
It  looks  like  a  skull  from  a  distance.  Here  the 
three  crosses  were  placed,  that  of  Jesus  in  the 
middle,  the  one  that  Barabbas  would  have  occu- 
pied. The  body  was  probably  nailed  to  the  cross 
before  it  was  elevated. 

21.  The   Death   on   the   Cross   (Matthew  27:    35-56; 

Mark   15:    24-41;    Luke   23:    33-49;    John   19: 

18-30). 
The  tragedy  of  the  cross  is  the  central  event 
of  history.  The  Jews,  who  had  so  long  waited 
for  the  Messiah,  killed  him  when  he  came.  Pi- 
late placed  above  the  cross  in  Latin,  Greek  and 
Hebrew  the  charge  that  Jesus  was  the  King  <^i 

8 


114  Studi98  in  the  New  Testament 

the  Jews.  There  is  not  room  to  discuss  the  details 
g^ven  in  the  Gospels.  Jesus  was  placed  on  the 
cross  about  nine  and  died  about  three.  At  noon 
the  dreadful  darkness  came.  At  first  the  soldiers 
gambled  over  the  seamless  garment  of  Christ, 
while  he  prayed  for  his  enemies.  The  passers-by, 
the  Sanhedrin,  the  soldiers  and  even  the  two  rob- 
bers on  the  cross  by  his  side  mocked  Jesus.  One 
of  the  robbers  came  to  himself  and  found  life  \n 
the  hour  of  death.  Jesus  committed  his  mother 
to  John,  who  took  her  away  from  the  horror  of 
this  hour.  The  darkness  lasted  for  three  terrible 
hours.  At  the  end  Jesus  broke  the  stillness  with 
the  wail  of  desolation  at  his  apparent  desertion  by 
the  Father  as  he  became  sin  for  us  (2  Corinthians 
5 :  21).  But  Jqsus  was  conscious  to  the  end  and, 
though  aflame  with  thirst,  claimed  victory  in  the 
hour  of  death.  He  died  with  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist  on  his  lips.  Supernatural  events  at- 
tended this  consummation.  A  hush  fell  on  the 
spectators  who  wended  their  way  back  to  the 
city.  The  Roman  centurion  was  deeply  im- 
pressed. Those  who  saw  this  end  of  the  life  of 
Jesus  little  comprehended  what  it  all  signified. 
Jesus  knew  what  he  was  suffering,  but  the  dis- 
ciples and  the  women  did  not  understand  that 
Jesus  was  dying  for  the  sin  of  the  world. 

22.   The  Burial  (Matthew  27:  57-66;  Mark  15:  42-47; 
Luke  23:  50-56;  John  19:  31-42). 

It  is  John  who  tells  of  the  eagerness  of  the  Jews 
to  have  the  bodies  down  before  the  Sabbath  be- 


The  Tragedy  in  Jerusalem,  II5 

gan  at  sundown.  The  Roman  soldiers  broke  the 
legs  of  the  two  robbers  to  hasten  death,  but  it 
was  not  necessary  in  the  case  of  Christ,  as  a  spear 
thrust  into  his  side  showed  both  water  and  blood, 
proof  that  Jesus  had  literally  died  of  a  broken 
heart  (a  burst  blood-vessel  in  the  heart).  One 
must  always  honor  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  though 
timid  till  now,  for  his  courage  and  love  in  asking 
Pilate  for  the  body  of  Jesus  to  be  placed  in  his 
new  tomb.  Nicodemus  and  Joseph  buried  his 
body,  wrapped  in  myrrh  and  aloes,  with  tender 
love.  The  faithful  women  watched  with  wistful 
eyes  where  they  laid  him. 

23.  The  Fear  of  the  Sanhedrfn  (Matthew  27:  62-66). 

The  Sanhedrin  had  an  uncanny  feeling  as  the 
Sabbath  came  on  that  something  might  happen. 
So  they  had  the  Roman  seal  placed  over  the  tomb 
and  a  Roman  guard  placed  beside  it.  No  one 
could  now  tamper  with  that  grave.  Jesus  was 
dead  and  his  body  must  stay  in  the  tomb. 

24.  The  Lonely  Sabbath  (Luke  23:  56). 

The  women  rested  on  the  Sabbath;  rested  as 
far  as  they  could  rest !  What  did  Peter  do  ?  and 
John  ?  and  the  mother  of  Jesus  ?  The  angel  Ga- 
briel had  come  to  see  her  in  the  long  ago  and  now 
her  glorious  Child  of  promise  lay  in  the  tomb, 
crucified  as  a  heretic  and  pretender.  The  future  ? 
Was  there  any  future? 


116  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  Messianic  expectations  of  the  Jews. 

2.  The  Christ  of  prophecy. 

3.  Jewish  judicial  procedure. 

4.  The  Jewish  trial  of  Jesus. 

5.  Roman  justice. 

6.  The  Roman  trial  of  Jesus. 

7.  The  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

8.  The  insight  of  Mary  of  Bethany. 

9.  Judas  Iscariot. 

10.  Peter's  denials. 

11.  Pilate's  conduct  at  the  trial. 

12.  The  atonement. 

13.  The  Lord's  supper. 

14.  The  sayings  of  Jesus  on  the  cross. 

15.  Joseph  of  Arimathea. 

16.  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  at  the  cross. 


CHAPTER  VU. 


THE  RESURRECTION  OF  JESUS. 


1.  The  Fact  of  the  Resurrection. 

The  resurrection  of  Christ  is  the  crucial  fact 
for  the  Christian.  Jesus  repeatedly  predicted  that 
he  would  rise  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day  as 
proof  of  his  claim  to  be  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of 
God.  Other  men  were  raised  from  the  dead, 
but  in  the  case  of  Jesus  his  claim  to  be  divine  was 
made  to  hinge  on  his  return  from  the  grave  ac- 
cording to  his  predictions.  So  then  the  proof  of 
this  fact  is  of  supreme  importance.  The  proof  is 
varied  and  convincing.  Many  men  who  have 
doubts  about  some  of  the  miracles  recorded  in  the 
Gospels  see  no  way  to  escape  the  conviction  that 
Jesus  rose  from  the  dead.  In  fact,  the  very  di- 
vergences in  the  Gospel  narratives  show  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  testimony.  The  case  of  Paul  is 
of  tremendous  value  since  he  himself  tells  of  his 
seeing  Christ  after  his  death.  No  fact  of  human 
history  has  better  attestation  than  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus. 

2.  The  Doubt  of  the  Disciples. 

Jesus  had  labored  earnestly  to  prepare  the  dis- 
ciples for  the  great  event  of  his  death.      They 

(117) 


118  Studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

failed  completely  to  comprehend  him,  and  the 
Gospels  relate  faithfully  this  failure.  The  eclipse 
of  faith  was  complete.  His  promise  of  the 
resurrection  vanished  from  their  minds  along 
with  all  the  rest  of  Christ's  teachings.  The  prob- 
lem of  Jesus  when  risen  will  be  to  convince  these 
men  that  he  really  is  alive  again.  The  revival  of 
faith,  hope  and  power  can  only  be  explained  on 
the  basis  of  Christ's  resurrection  from  the  dead. 
They  were  not  predisposed  to  believe  it,  but  to 
disbelieve  it.  In  fact,  they  did  disbelieve  the  tes- 
timony of  Mary  and  the  other  women  to  whom 
Jesus  first  appeared.  But  their  doubt  makes  it 
easier  for  us  to  believe. 

8.   Theories  of  the  Resurrection. 

Many  efforts  have  been  made  to  explain  away 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus.  The  value  of  the  tes- 
timony has  been  attacked  as  inconsistent  and  con- 
tradictory. It  has  been  claimed  that  the  disciples 
hoped  for  his  return  and  thus  imagined  that  they 
did  see  him.  It  is  charged  that  the  excitable 
women  started  the  whole  story.  Unfortunately 
all  these  theories  are  contradicted  by  the  context 
in  the  narratives.  It  is  alleged  further  that  Je- 
sus was  in  a  swoon  and  not  really  dead,  and  re- 
vived. Still  further  it  is  asserted  that  the  women 
and  the  disciples  had  visions  that  were  real,  but 
that  the  body  of  Jesus  remained  in  the  tomb. 
They  saw  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  in  other  words.  It 
is  held  that  the  only  essential  thing  to  believe  is 
that  Jesus  is  still  alive  without  any  reference  to 


The  Re^urrtetion  of  Jetu*.  119 

his  body  that  was  buried.  But  no  one  of  these 
theories  satisfies  the  demands  of  the  narratives 
that  the  body  of  Jesus  was  restored  to  life  with 
his  spirit  and  was  translated  and  glorified  and 
ascended  to  the  Father.  The  mystery  remains  in 
any  case.  We  can,  however,  say  that  science 
cannot  affirm  that  resurrection  is  impossible. 
With  God  all  things  are  possible. 

4.   The  Length  of  Christ's  Stay  In  the  Tomb. 

Luke  (23:  54)  states  that  Jesus  was  buried 
on  the  day  of  the  Preparation  (the  day  before  the 
Sabbath,  our  Friday),  and  the  Sabbath  drew 
on  (or  dawned,  viz.,  at  sunset  when  the 
twenty-four-hour  day  began  with  the  Jews).  It 
was  on  Friday  afternoon  between  three  and  six 
that  Jesus  was  buried.  Luke  adds  (23 :  56)  that 
the  women  rested  on  the  Sabbath  day.  Then 
Luke  states  (24:  i)  that  at  early  dawn  (sunrise, 
Mark  16:  2  has  it)  on  the  first  day  of  the  week 
(Sunday)  the  women  came  to  the  tomb  and 
found  it  empty.  Thus  Jesus  was  in  the  tomb  part 
of  Friday,  all  of  the  Sabbath  and  part  of  Sunday 
(as  we  count  the  days).  Jesus  had  said  that  he 
would  rise  on  the  third  day,  and  this  he  did.  If 
he  had  remained  in  the  tomb  more  than  three  full 
days,  he  would  have  risen  on  the  fourth  day,  not 
on  the  third.  The  expression  "after  three  days," 
a  few  times  used,  can  be  understood  as  a  free 
way  of  talking  commoa  to  all  languages. 


120  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

5.  The  Visit  of  the  Women  Saturday  Evening  (Mat- 

thew 28:  1;  Mark  16:  1). 

Matthew  (28:  i)  says  that  "late  on  the  Sab- 
bath day"  as  it  began  to  dawn  toward  the  first 
day,  Mary  Magdalene  and  the  other  Mary  made  a 
visit  to  see  the  sepulchre.  This  language  can 
only  properly  mean  that  the  visit  was  made  just 
before  sundown,  for  the  first  day  began  at  sunset. 
They  probably  did  not  go  close  to  the  sepulchre 
as  they  did  not  see  the  Roman  guard.  Mark 
(16:  i)  makes  an  addition  in  harmony  with  this 
statement  to  the  effect  that  when  the  Sabbath  was 
past  the  two  women  went  and  bought  spices  that 
they  might  anoint  the  body  of  Jesus  the  next 
morning  (Mark  16:  2).  This  purchase  was, 
therefore,  just  after  sunset. 

6.  The  Visit  of  the  Women   Sunday   Morning   (Mat- 

thew 28:    2-8;    Mark  16:    2-8;    Luke  24:    1-8; 
John  20:  1). 

The  women  were  evidently  eager  to  go  as  early 
as  possible  Sunday  morning,  as  there  was  not 
time  to  make  the  trip  (some  two  miles  from 
Bethany)  after  sundown  Saturday.  They  made 
an  early  start  while  it  was  yet  dark,  and  the  sun 
was  risen  vvhen  they  reached  the  tomb.  They 
were  ignorant  of  the  Roman  seal  and  the  guard 
and  were  troubled  about  rolling  away  the  stone. 
Mary  Magdalene  was  alarmed  at  the  open  tomb 
and  feared  that  the  body  of  Jesus  had  been  re- 
moved. She  ran  to  tell  Peter  and  John.  The 
others  saw  the  two  angels  (men)  and  heard  the 


The  Resurrection  of  Jesus.  121 

message  for  the  disciples  about  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus.  It  was  all  very  wonderful.  They  had 
mingled  feelings  of  fear  and  joy.  They  were  to 
tell  the  disciples,  and  in  particular  Peter,  to  meet 
the  risen  Jesus  on  an  appointed  mountain  in  Gali- 
lee. Nothing  was  said  about  seeing  him  sooner. 
The  women  did  not  see  Jesus  then,  but  only  the 
empty  tomb  or  rather  the  tomb  occupied  by  two 
angels  (men,  Luke)  who  told  of  his  resurrection. 

7.   The  Visit  of  Peter  and  John  (John  20:  2-10). 

The  startled  report  of  Mary  Magdalene  roused 
Peter  and  John  (note  Peter's  cooperation  again) 
to  action.  John  outran  Peter,  but  he  paused 
while  Peter  went  on  in,  and  then  came  John  after 
him.  But  John's  fine  insight  revealed  to  him 
the  fact  that  Jesus  had  been  raised  from  the 
dead,  since  the  clothes  were  lying  in  orderly 
fashion.  It  was  no  grave  robbery.  John  was  the 
first  of  the  apostles  to  be  convinced  that  Jesus 
had  risen,  though  he  had  not  seen  him.  The 
group  of  women  and  John  believed,  but  no  one 
had  as  yet  seen  Jesus  alive. 

3.  Mary  and  Jesus  (Mark  16:  9-11;  John  20:  11-18). 
Alary  Magdalene  did  not  try  to  keep  up  with 
Peter  and  John.  When  she  arrived  at  the  tomb, 
they  had  left.  Curiously  enough,  Peter  and  John 
did  not  see  the  angels,  and  yet  Mary  saw  them 
when  she  came.  No  solution  of  this  difficulty  ap- 
pears. But  Mary  probably  regarded  them  simply 
as  men  and  gave  them  her  explanation  of  the 


X22  studies  4m  the  Neuf  Testfneni, 

trouble,  that  the  body  of  Jesus  had  been  taken 
away.  The  scene  between  Mary  and  the  gar- 
dener (as  she  supposed),  when  she  turned  round, 
is  told  by  John  with  exquisite  beauty  and  won- 
drous power.  He  was  revealed  to  her  by  calling 
her  name  with  the  old  accent,  though  she  did  not 
recognize  him  at  first,  as  was  true  of  others  when 
they  saw  the  risen  Christ,  for  he  appeared  at 
times  in  a  changed  form  or  their  eyes  were 
holden.  But  Mary  was  the  first  of  them  all  to 
see  Jesus.  She  was  not  allowed  to  lay  her  hands 
on  Jesus,  but  she  bore  a  message  to  the  apostles. 
She  had  the  greatest  of  all  words  to  say :  "I  have 
seen  the  Lord."  But  they  disbelieved  her,  prob- 
ably thinking  that  the  demons  had  her  again. 
Why  did  not  John  believe  her? 

9.   The  Report  of  the  Guard  (Matthew  28:  11-15). 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  g^ard  went  to 
the  Sanhedrin,  not  to  Pilate.  They  told  the  truth 
also  about  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  but  the  San- 
hedrin were  not  converted  to  Qiristianity  by  rea- 
son of  it.  The  guard  were  the  only  eye-witnesses 
of  the  stupendous  event.  The  Sanhedrin  did  not 
dispute  the  correctness  of  the  report,  but  oflFered 
the  guard  a  bribe  to  say  that  the  disciples  stole 
the  body  of  Jesus  while  they  slept,  a  foolish  ex- 
planation since,  if  they  were  asleep,  they  would 
not  know  anything  about  it.  The  Sanhedrin  un- 
dertook also  to  protect  the  guard  from  Pilate  if 
he  should  hear  of  it.  So  the  silly  story  ran  its 
course. 


The  Returredion  •f  JcHbt.  123 

ia  The  Othor  Women  and  Jesus  (Matthew  Bl:  If; 
Luke  24:  9-11). 

These  women  had  already  been  told  by  the 
angels  that  Jesus  had  risen.  When  they  saw  him, 
they  fell  at  his  feet  and  worshiped  him.  This 
Jesus  allowed.  Jesus  told  them  to  go  and  tell 
his  brethren  to  meet  him  in  Galilee.  But  it  was 
all  as  idle  talk  to  the  apostles,  and  they  disbe- 
lieved these  women  as  they  had  done  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, effectually  disposing  of  the  modem  theory 
that  the  women  started  the  belief  in  the  resurrec- 
tion.   None  of  the  men  believed  their  story. 

11.    Cieopas    and    His    Companions   (Mark  10:    12f; 
Luke  24:  18-32). 

This  narrative  in  Luke  is  probably  the  most 
beautiful  story  in  all  the  world.  The  two  dis- 
ciples who  lived  at  Emmaus  (west  of  Jerusalem) 
had  been  to  Jerusalem  to  see  how  the  disciples 
felt,  now  that  Jesus  was  dead.  They  found  them 
in  despair  in  spite  of  the  story  of  the  women, 
which  nobody  believed.  They  were  talking  with 
each  other,  going  over  all  the  sad  details,  when 
a  stranger  joined  them  who  listened  to  their  ac- 
count of  the  career  of  Jesus  and  in  particular  the 
recent  events  with  great  interest.  But  soon  the 
stranger  was  their  teacher,  as  he  showed  how  the 
sufferings  of  the  Messiah  were  foretold  in  the 
Scriptures.  Their  hearts  burned  within  them,  but 
they  did  not  understand  till  at  the  evening  meal 
in  their  home  at  Emmaus  the  stranger  said  grace 
and  their  eyes  were  opened  and  he  was  gone. 


124k  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

12.  Simon  Peter  (Luke  24:  33-35;  1  Cor.  15:  5). 

Very  little  is  said  about  the  appearance  of  Je- 
sus to  Simon  Peter,  but  it  is  plain  that  this  was 
the  cardinal  fact  in  the  proof  that  Jesus  was  alive 
and  no  longer  dead.  The  details  are  all  wanting, 
but  so  great  an  impression  did  it  make  that  a 
meeting  of  the  brethren  and  sisters  was  hurriedly 
called  that  very  night  (Sunday)  to  hear  what 
Simon  had  to  say.  When  the  two  from  Emmaus 
came  in  to  tell  their  wonderful  story,  they  were 
interrupted  at  the  door  by  the  statement:  'The 
Lord  is  risen  indeed,  and  hath  appeared  to 
Simon."  That  was  proof  enough.  The  women 
were  right  after  all.    Then  Cleopas  told  his  story. 

13.  The  Meeting  Sunday  Night  (Mark  16:   14;  Luke 
24:  36-43;  John  20:  19-25). 

The  place  is  not  given,  though  probably  it  was 
the  home  of  I\Iary,  the  mother  of  John  Mark 
(perhaps  the  same  upper  room).  For  some  rea- 
son Thomas  was  absent  (could  not  be  found  or 
would  not  come).  The  doors  were  shut  out  of 
fear  of  the  Jews.  It  was  a  marvelous  gathering 
of  the  disciples  who  had  lost  hope  utterly,  and  who 
now  have  come  to  believe  that  Jesus  is  still  alive. 
All  was  not  lost.  All  may  be  won.  They  must 
confer  together.  It  was  at  this  meeting  that  Jesus 
suddenly  appeared  and  thus  threw  them  all  into 
consternation  and  back  into  doubt.  He  had  to  con- 
vince them  all  over  again  that  he  was  not  a  mere 
ghost,  but  actually  alive  in  person.  The  print  of  the 
nails  was  shown.  He  actually  ate  a  piece  of  broiled 


The  Resurrection  of  Jesus.  125 

fish  to  show  them  the  truth.  It  passes  our  com- 
prehension how  all  this  could  be  true  of  one  risen 
from  the  dead.  He  was  in  a  transition  state  and 
not  yet  glorified.  Jesus  gave  them  a  commission. 
He  sent  them  forth  to  bless  all  the  world.  It  was 
a  great  time.  Five  times  on  this  first  day  Jesus 
had  appeared  to  one  or  another  of  the  believers. 

14.  The  Next  Sunday  Night  (John  20:  24^31). 

The  next  Sunday  they  felt  that  they  must  meet 
together  again.  They  had  no  promise  that  Jesus 
would  come  again,  but  they  must  meet.  Some- 
how they  managed  to  persuade  Thomas  to  come, 
in  spite  of  his  skepticism  and  indifference.  He 
had  made  a  condition  for  his  faith.  The  doors  were 
shut  again,  when  Jesus  suddenly  appeared  and 
challenged  Thomas  to  meet  the  demands  of  his 
faith.  To  the  credit  of  Thomas  be  it  said  that 
he  did  not  try  to  thrust  his  hand  into  the  side  of 
Jesus,  but  made  the  noble  confession  of  the  deity 
of  Jesus,  the  greatest  confession  so  far  made  by 
any  of  the  disciples.  Now  the  whole  group  were 
convinced.  Jesus  spoke  kindly  of  those  in  the 
future  who  would  believe  v/ithout  seeing  him. 

15.  By  the  Sea  of  Galilee  (John  21). 

For  some  reason  we  see  seven  of  the  apostles 
back  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  probably  because  the 
time  for  the  meeting  on  the  mountain  had  not 
yet  come.  At  any  rate,  they  were  in  their  old 
haunts  again  after  their  great  and  strange  experi- 


X26  Studiei  in  the  New  Testament. 

cnccs.  Some  of  them  were  fishermen  by  trade, 
and  Peter  could  resist  the  impulse  no  longer,  and 
announced  his  purpose.  He  was  instantly  sec- 
onded by  the  other  six,  but  they  had  fisherman's 
luck  and  toiled  all  night  and  caught  nothing.  In 
the  gray  of  the  early  dawn  they  saw  a  figure,  who 
addressed  them  as  "Little  Children."  John's  sen- 
sitive nature  knew  that  it  was  Jesus,  and  Peter 
acted  at  once  on  the  impulse.  The  scene  on  the 
shore  after  the  great  catch  of  fish  and  the  meal 
was  full  of  reminiscences  for  Peter.  Jesus  probed 
his  heart  for  his  former  boast  about  loving  him 
more  than  the  rest.  The  fire,  the  early  dawn,  the 
three  questions  pierced  his  heart  with  the  mem- 
ory of  his  denials.  But  Jesus  charged  Peter  with 
the  duty  of  feeding  the  sheep  when  once  he  has 
turned  and  is  really  humble  and  filled  with  the 
Spirit  of  God.  Pentecost  saw  that  fulfilled.  Peter 
was  promised  a  martyr's  crown  in  reality,  now 
that  he  no  longer  was  so  self-confident,  but  even 
so  he  was  curious  about  John. 

18.    On  the  Mountain  In  Galilee  (Matthew  28:  16-20; 
Mark  16:  15-18;  1  Corinthians  15:  6). 

At  last  the  time  came  for  the  pre-arranged 
meeting.  We  are  not  told  the  name  of  the  moun- 
tain, but  word  had  been  passed  around  to  the 
faithful  which  required  time.  Over  five  hundred 
were  assembled,  probably  the  staunchest  spirits 
among  the  believers.  They  were  more  numerous 
in  Galilee  and  so  the  meeting  was  here.  In  Jeru- 
salem they  had  met  behind  closed  doors  at  night. 


The  Returrection  of  Jesus.  127 

Here  they  met  in  the  open  and  by  day  in  all  prob- 
ability. Paul  tells  the  number,  and  Matthew  im- 
plies more  than  the  eleven,  since  "some  doubted." 
They  could  hardly  believe  the  evidence  of  their 
senses  and  perhaps  wondered  if  they  were  not  the 
victims  of  some  hallucination.  It  is  clear  that 
Christianity  has  to  make  its  way  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  over  the  life  of  men,  and  not  by 
supernatural  objective  manifestations,  though 
these  were  necessary  to  gain  a  start.  It  is  the 
experience  of  Christ  in  the  heart  of  man,  the  wit- 
ness of  the  Spirit  with  our  spirits,  that  wins  and 
holds  men  to  Christ.  Jesus  at  this  solemn  moment 
on  the  mountain  made  supreme  claims  of  author- 
ity and  dominion  and  laid  upon  these  five  hundred 
disciples  (all  of  them)  the  task  of  making  dis- 
ciples of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  baptizing 
them  and  teaching  them.  Note  the  threefold  duty  of 
evangelism  or  missions,  church  organization  out 
of  the  converts  (implied  by  baptism),. and  educa- 
tion in  the  doctrine  of  God  (the  teaching  min- 
istry on  the  part  of  ministers,  the  home,  the  Sun- 
day school,  the  B.  Y.  P.  U.,  the  teacher-training 
work,  newspapers  and  books,  colleges  and  semi- 
naries, Bible  distribution,  tracts  and  colportage). 
The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  here  set  forth  by 
Jesus  also.  Some  have  objected  that  this  great 
commission  is  too  ecclesiastical  to  have  been 
used  on  this  occasion,  since  baptism  is  here  en- 
joined by  Jesus  for  the  first  time.  But  Jesus  had 
himself  submitted  to  baptism  and  his  disciples  at 
the  first  baptized  under  his   direction  and  the 


128  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

commission  lays  out  simply  broad  outlines  of 
Christian  activity.  Evangelism  is  the  work  of 
conversion,  nothing  but  missions  in  all  its 
phases.  Baptism  presents  the  question  of  church 
affiliation  in  local  bodies  and  follows  conversion. 
Teaching  covers  the  entire  course  of  the  Christian 
life  and  is  absolutely  essential  to  usefulness  and 
service.  The  work  of  Christian  education  in  its 
various  phases  is  thus  absolutely  necessary  for 
carrying  out  the  will  of  Christ  and  for  power  in 
the  work  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Jesus  promised 
to  lead  the  hosts  through  all  the  ages.  He  is  the 
Captain  of  salvation. 

17.  James,  the  Brother  of  Jesus  (1  Corinthians  15:  7). 

We  are  simply  told  by  Paul  the  bare  fact  that 
Jesus  did  appear  to  his  brother  James.  This  was 
probably  the  cause  of  his  conversion.  We  do  not 
know  whether  Jesus  met  him  in  Galilee  or  Jeru- 
salem, but  it  was  a  sacred  occasion  when  these 
two  met.  James,  like  the  other  brothers,  had  been 
unsympathetic  with  the  work  of  Jesus.  It  was 
doubtless  a  sore  trial  to  Jesus  to  be  thus  misunder- 
stood at  home.  The  accession  of  James  to  the 
number  of  the  disciples  was  of  great  importance 
in  many  ways.  He  suon  attained  much  influ- 
ence, as  we  shall  see,  by  reason  of  his  great  abil- 
ities and  devotion. 


The  Resurrection  of  Jesus.  129 

18.  The  Last  Commission  (Luke  24:  44-49;  Acts  1: 

3-8). 
Luke  alone  records  this  appearance  to  the  dis- 
ciples in  Jerusalem  just  before  the  ascension.  He 
opened  their  minds  and  then  opened  the  Scrip- 
tures to  them.  Then  he  outlined  the  promises  of 
the  Father,  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for 
power  and  service  not  many  days  hence.  The 
charge  was  laid  upon  them  again  to  evangelize 
the  world  from  Jerusalem  to  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth,  when  once  they  have  received  power 
from  on  high  for  the  task. 

19.  The  Last  Look  (Mark  16:  19f;  Luke  24:  50-53; 

Acts  1:  9-12). 
They  had  seen  Jesus  now  a  number  of  times. 
They  had  heard  his  program  for  the  conquest  of 
the  world.  They  had  his  promises  for  power 
from  on  high  when  the  Holy  Spirit  inaugurated 
the  new  dispensation.  And  Jesus  was  really  going 
to  be  with  them  through  the  Spirit.  So  he  led  them 
out  upon  Olivet,  where  they  had  been  often  be- 
fore; where  he  had  sat  and  foretold  his  death 
and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  He  blessed 
them,  and  a  cloud  swept  by  and  he  was  gone. 
The  disciples  kept  gazing  skyward  till  two  angels 
spoke  in  inspiriting  tones  and  reminded  them  of 
Christ's  promise  to  come  back.  To  your  tents, 
O  Israel,  and  to  your  tasks !  Back  to  Jerusalem 
they  went.  In  the  temple  they  worshiped  Jesus 
with  joy  and  turned  their  faces  to  the  future,  now 
bright  with  hope  and  promise. 


130  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW, 

1.  Importance  of  the  fact  of  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus. 

2.  Theories  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus. 

3.  Doubt  of  the  disciples. 

4.  Christ's  stay  in  the  tomb. 

5.  Visits  of  the  women. 

6.  The  ten  appearances  of  Jesus. 

7.  The  appearances  in  Jerusalem. 

8.  The  appearances  in  Galilee. 

9.  The  conviction  of  John. 

10.  Mary  and  Jesus. 

11.  The  report  of  the  guards. 

12.  Cleopas  and  his  companions. 

13.  Peter  and  Jesus. 

14.  The  meeting  without  Thomas. 

15.  Jesus  and  Thomas. 

16.  By  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 

17.  On  the  mountain  in  Galilee 

18.  James  and  Jesus. 

19.  The  last  commission. 

20.  The  ascension. 


PART  III. 
THE  APOSTOLIC  HISTORY. 


CHAPTERS  OF  PART  III. 

VIII.  Power  for  the  New  Start. 

IX.  The  New  Witness  for  Christ. 

X.  The  Campaign  for  the  Gentiles  and  the 
Protest  of  the  Judaizers. 

XL  Paul's  Gospel. 

XII.  Paul's  Long  Imprisonment. 

XIII.  The  Last  Years  of  Paul. 

XIV.  The  Teaching  of  Peter  and  Jnde. 
XV.  The  Priesthood  of  Christ. 

XVI.    Final  Victory. 


CHAPTER  Vra, 


POWER  FOR  THE  NEW  START. 


1.  The  Book  of  Acts. 

This  second  volume  by  Luke  carries  on  the 
story  of  Jesus  and  can  be  termed  the  Acts  of 
Jesus  or  the  Acts  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is  not  a 
full  story  of  the  work  of  all  the  apostles  nor  of 
all  the  work  of  any  of  them.  In  truth,  more  than 
half  of  the  book  is  devoted  to  the  work  of  others 
than  the  twelve,  Stephen  and  Philip  (6,  7,  8) 
and  Barnabas  and  then  of  Paul  (11 :  19  to  end  of 
28).  The  point  seems  to  be  to  show  how  Chris- 
tianity gained  a  foothold  in  Jerusalem  in  spite  of 
the  opposition  of  the  Sadducees  and  how  Stephen 
stirred  up  the  Pharisees.  Saul  scattered  the 
Christians  and  was  himself  converted  and  used 
to  carry  the  gospel  over  the  Roman  empire,  even 
to  Rome,  though  as  a  prisoner.  The  book  bristles 
with  human  interest  and  is  invaluable  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Epistles  for  the  study  of  the  spread 
of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  till  the  book  closes  with 
Paul  in  Rome  (A.D.  60-63). 

2.  The  Concert  of  Prayer  (Acts  1:  1-14). 

The  end  was  only  the  beginning.  This  the  dis- 
ciples came  gradually  to  see.     The  culmination 

(138) 


134  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

of  the  earthly  work  of  Jesus  was  the  beginning 
of  the  task  of  the  followers  of  Jesus  who  had  re- 
gained faith,  hope  and  joy.  But  they  still  lacked 
comprehension  of  the  meaning  of  all  that  they 
had  seen  and  heard,  and  power  to  use  what  they 
did  understand.  They  had  the  promise  of  Jesus 
that  they  should  receive  power  from  on  high  when 
the  Holy  Spirit  should  come  upon  them.  They 
were  to  wait  for  the  promise  of  the  Father.  They 
felt  that  Jesus,  though  ascended  to  the  Father, 
was  still  with  them.  The  time  was  not  distant 
and  they  all  gathered  in  prayer  with  great  hearti- 
ness and  unity.  There  were  one  hundred  and 
twenty  of  them  (men  and  women),  and  the 
mother  of  Jesus  was  there  with  the  brothers  also. 

3.   A  New  Apostle  (Acts  1:  1&-26). 

During  these  days  of  prayer  and  waiting  the 
disciples  took  stock  of  their  situation,  now  that 
they  were  to  launch  upon  the  titanic  task  of  world 
evangelization.  The  great  commission  had  been 
given  to  all  the  believers,  primarily  as  individual 
Christians,  but  they  were  certainly  meant  to  work 
together  in  carrying  it  out.  We  do  not  know  how 
much  of  ecclesiastical  organization  existed  before 
the  great  day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  were  still  assembled.  Soon  a 
great  local  church  was  a  reality  in  Jerusalem, 
with  deacons  and  elders  besides  the  apostles. 
Now  the  only  officers  apparently  were  the  apostles 
and  there  were  only  eleven  of  them.  Judas 
had  gone  wrong.    There  was  no  command  from 


Povyer  for  the  New  Start.  135 

Jesus  to  fill  the  place  of  Judas,  but  Peter,  resum- 
ing his  place  of  leadership,  offered  a  solution  of 
the  fate  of  Judas  and  proposed  that  his  place  be 
filled  by  one  who  was  a  witness  of  the  work  of 
Jesus  from  the  baptism  of  John  till  now.  The 
suggestion  met  with  favor,  but  it  excluded  James, 
the  brother  of  Jesus,  who  had  been  unfriendly 
till  recently.  The  choice  by  prayer  and  lot  fell 
on  Matthias.  He  is  not  heard  of  more,  but  may 
have  done  well  all  the  same.  With  the  list  of  the 
twelve  completed  they  waited. 

4.   The  New  Era  (Acts  2:  1-40). 

The  disciples  seemed  to  be  conscious  that  thej 
faced  a  crisis  and  were  waiting  for  the  out- 
stretched hand,  though  they  did  not  know  how 
the  hand  would  be  manifested.  But  God's  hour 
came  at  the  feast  of  Pentecost  (or  first-fruits), 
just  fifty  days  since  the  passover,  when  Jesus,  the 
real  Paschal  Lamb,  had  been  offered  on  the  cross 
for  the  sin  of  the  world.  With  the  coming  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  the  new  dispensation  opened  that 
is  to  last  till  Jesus  returns  for  the  end.  The 
supernatural  demonstrations  (sound  of  wind, 
tongues  of  fire,  the  speaking  in  various  lan- 
guages) were  merely  proof  of  the  coming  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  These  miracles  were  misunderstood 
by  many.  The  tongues  were  understood  by  one 
or  another  of  the  Jews  present  from  different 
parts  of  the  world.  But  it  was  Peter  who  now 
undertook,  under  the  fresh  inflow  of  power  from 
the  Holy  Spirit,  to  interpret  not  only  the  miracles 


136  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

and  the  new  day  of  power,  but  also  the  meaning 
of  the  life,  death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  was  the  first  formal  attempt  of  that  kind, 
and  it  remains  today  a  masterpiece.  It  was  not 
only  a  powerful  exposition  of  what  Joel  and  Da- 
vid had  said,  but  a  pointed  and  pungent  presenta- 
tion of  what  the  Jews  had  done  to  Jesus.  The 
courage  of  Peter  is  remarkable  right  here  in 
Jerusalem,  where  so  recently  he  had  shown  such 
cowardice.  He  is  now  indeed  a  rock,  as  Jesus 
had  said  he  would  be.  He  boldly  claimed  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  as  a  fact  with  many  wit- 
nesses to  it  and  asserts  the  deity  of  Jesus  (both 
Lord  and  Christ)  whom  they  had  crucified.  Luke 
has  probably  given  only  a  condensed  report  of 
this  great  address.  It  had  an  instant  and  tre- 
mendous effect.  The  appeal  for  light  gave  Peter 
his  opportunity,  which  he  used  to  explain  how 
men  can  be  saved  by  repentance  toward  God. 
The  baptism,  like  that  of  John  the  Baptist,  was 
upon  the  basis  of  repentance  and  forgiveness 
of  sins.  He  promised  the  Holy  Spirit  to  all  who 
called  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  though  Peter 
probably  did  not  yet  think  of  Gentiles  being  con- 
verted and  remaining  Gentiles.  One  step  at  a 
time. 

5.   A  Picture  of  Church  Life  (Acts  2:  41-47). 

These  verses  give  a  wonderfully  vivid  descrip- 
tion of  the  first  days  of  activity  after  the  endue- 
ment  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  There  were  about  three 
thousand  that  gladly  received  the  word  of  Peter. 


foioer  for  the  New  Start.  I37 

These  new  converts  were  all  baptized  the  same 
day.  The  one  hundred  and  twenty  had  suddenly 
become  three  thousand.  It  was  not  a  mere  spurt, 
for  they  manifested  steadfastness  in  doctrine  and 
fellowship.  Teaching  followed  the  church  member- 
ship. This  worthy  custom  is  not  always  followed 
today.  New  members  are  too  often  allowed  to 
drift  along  and  then  away.  It  is  impossible  to 
have  the  right  sort  of  church  life  without  intelli- 
gent church  members,  trained  in  the  doctrines 
of  the  faith  and  in  the  work  of  the  church  of 
Christ.  The  notes  of  a  happy  church  were  here 
(unity,  instruction,  fellowship  or  partnership,  lib- 
erality, praise,  prayer,  gladness,  singleness  of 
heart).  Small  wonder  that  there  was  power  in 
that  church  and  the  fear  of  God.  It  was  a  per- 
petual revival. 

6.  Persecution  from  the  Sadducees  (Acts  3:  1 — i:  31). 
Apparently  the  disciples  had  no  idea  at  first 
of  a  breach  with  Judaism.  They  felt,  as  Jesus 
had  shown  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  and  after, 
that  Christianity  was  the  true  Judaism  and  that 
the  current  Judaism  had  departed  from  the  faith 
in  rejecting  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  Hence,  Peter 
and  John  went  up  as  usual  to  worship  in  the  tem- 
ple at  the  hours  of  prayer.  It  was  thus  that  Peter 
was  led  to  see  and  to  heal  the  lame  beggar  at  the 
Beautiful  gate  of  the  temple.  The  excited  crowd 
that  quickly  gathered  gave  Peter  an  opportunity 
to  preach  Jesus,  which  he  did  in  another  sermcn 
of  great  force  and  insight,  calling  upon  the  people 


138  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

of  Jerusalem  to  repent  of  their  sins.  This  sermon 
might  have  caused  a  repetition  of  the  result  of  the 
great  pentecostal  day  but  for  the  sudden  arrest  of 
Peter  and  John  by  the  Sadducees,  who  had  come 
up  in  time  to  hear  Peter's  attack  on  the  Sanhe- 
drin  as  the  murderers  of  Jesus  and  his  preaching 
in  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.  It  was 
no  mere  academic  doctrine  as  the  Pharisees  held, 
but  a  real  instance  in  the  case  of  Jesus  and  with 
the  added  charge  against  the  Jewish  rulers  of 
defying  God.  In  the  attack  on  Jesus  the  Phari- 
sees were  the  first  to  find  fault  with  his  criticism 
of  their  ceremonialism  and  externalism,  while  the 
Sadducees  were  drawn  in  on  political  grounds. 
But  now  the  Sadducees  lead  the  attack  against  the 
apostles  while  the  Pharisees  hold  off  for  awhile. 
The  Sadducees  were  evidently  indignant  at  the 
rapid  growth  of  the  new  heresy.  The  church 
now  already  numbered  five  thousand  men  (as  dis- 
tinct from  women,  Acts  4:  4).  So  now  Peter 
and  John  stood  before  the  very  same  body  of  men 
(the  Sanhedrin)  that  had  tried  and  condemned 
Jesus,  while  John  went  into  the  court  room  and 
Peter  timidly  stayed  outside  with  the  servants,  be- 
ing afraid  of  being  arrested  himself.  Now  the 
Sanhedrin  were  amazed  at  the  boldness  of  Peter 
and  John,  whom  they  recognized  as  having 
been  seen  with  Jesus.  Peter  defied  the  Sanhe- 
drin and  charged  them  with  crucifying  Jesus, 
reaffirmed  his  claim  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
and  asserted  that  eternal  life  was  to  be  found  only 
in  the  name  of  Jesus.    It  was  all  quite  incredible, 


Power  for  the  New  Start.  139 

and  yet  the  Sanhedrin  found  themselves  unable 
to  punish  their  impudence  as  it  deserved  because 
of  popular  knowledge  of  the  healing  of  the  lame 
man.  Peter  scouted  their  threats  and  declared 
his  purpose  to  obey  God  and  not  man.  So  now 
the  issue  was  joined.  The  disciples  heard  their 
report  with  awe  and  flew  to  the  Lord  in  prayer 
for  courage  to  do  the  brave  and  the  true  thing. 
Christianity  was  face  to  face  with  ecclesiastical 
bigotry. 

7.   A  Social  Problem  Within  the  Fold  (Acts  4:  82— 
5:  11). 

The  presence  of  persecution  made  the  disciples 
more  consecrated  and  more  effective.  They  la- 
bored with  great  power  and  God  added  great 
grace.  The  poor  were  added  in  large  numbers 
and  were  welcomed.  Many  of  the  Hellenistic 
Jews  converted  at  Pentecost  had  remained.  The 
temple  funds  were  not  for  the  followers  of  Jesus, 
now  that  the  Sadducees  had  declared  war  upon 
them.  There  was  probably  a  sort  oi  boycott  of 
the  disciples  in  business.  There  was  only  one 
thing  to  do  and  that  was  for  the  disciples  who  had 
means  to  help  those  without  money.  It  was  done 
gladly  and  joyfully.  Some  of  them  did  have 
property,  like  Joseph  Barnabas  of  Cyprus.  These 
placed  their  property  at  the  disposal  of  the  dis- 
ciples, who  used  it  from  time  to  time  as  occasion 
demanded.  The  social  problem  w^as  thus  solved 
nobly.  But  Ananias  and  Sapphira  wished  to  have 
the  credit  for  this  voluntary  liberality  without  the 


140  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

sacrifice  involved.  The  penalty  was  swift  and 
severe  upon  them  both.  Was  it  too  severe  ?  Some 
have  said  so.  But  they  had  lied  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  Peter  acted  for  God  in  the  matter.  At  any 
rate,  it  was  a  wholesome  lesson  and  a  needed  one. 
The  first  trouble  within  the  church  at  Jerusalem 
was  thus  over  money. 

8.  Prosperity  (Acts  5:  12-16). 

The  sudden  death  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira  had 
a  solemn  effect  on  all  the  people.  It  was  clear 
that  the  type  of  communism  practiced  was  volun- 
tary and  local.  It  seems  not  to  have  existed  outside 
of  Jerusalem  and  to  have  been  temporary  there. 
The  sharp  rebuke  by  the  death  of  the  two  pre- 
tenders made  them  all  hesitate  to  claim  extra 
piety  unless  they  really  possessed  it.  But  the 
power  and  prestige  of  the  apostles  were  at  a 
premium.  The  insincere  were  held  back  but  the 
number  of  real  believers  grew  with  rapid  pace. 
It  looks  as  if  for  days  the  apostles  took  a  stand 
in  Solomon's  porch  in  the  temple  and  healed  all 
the  sick  that  came.  The  crowds  were  so  great 
that  people  actually  sought  to  get  in  Peter's 
shadow  to  be  healed.  God  seems  to  have  hon- 
ored their  faith  in  spite  of  their  superstition.  The 
work  of  preaching  and  healing  went  on  together 
as  was  true  of  the  work  of  Jesus. 

9.  Renewed  Persecution  (Acts  5:  17-42). 

It  appears  that  the  Sadducees  were  a  bit  slow 
ipo  arrest  the  apostles  again,  but  finally  they  were 


Poioer  for  the  'New  Start.  j[4J^ 

so  filled  with  jealousy  at  the  success  of  the  dis- 
ciples in  Jerusalem  that  they  would  stand  it  no 
longer.  The  decision  to  act  came  like  an  ex- 
plosion. The  apostles  had  persistently  defied  the 
command  not  to  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 
The  sequel  is  very  astonishing.  The  apostles 
were  not  in  the  prison  next  morning  when 
sent  for  to  come  to  trial.  The  council  met, 
but  the  apostles  could  not  be  found.  The  per- 
plexity of  the  chief  priests  as  to  whereunto  this 
thing  would  grow  was  very  natural,  when  some- 
one reported  that  at  that  very  moment  the  apos- 
tles were  actually  proclaiming  Jesus  in  the  tem- 
ple. It  was  like  a  huge  joke  on  the  Sanhedrin, 
who  knew  nothing  of  the  angel's  visit  by  night. 
Luke  records  the  fear  of  the  officers  as  they 
brought  the  apostles  to  trial.  The  high  priest 
paid  a  high  compliment  to  the  effectiveness  of  the 
work  of  the  apostles :  "Ye  have  filled  Jerusalem 
with  your  teaching."  The  disclaimer  of  respon- 
sibility for  the  death  of  Jesus,  when  compared 
with  the  eager  acceptance  of  it  at  the  time  like- 
wise shows  that  the  Sanhedrin  realize  that  Jesus 
still  has  friends  among  the  jeople.  They  were 
then  bent  on  carrying  their  point  with  Pilate, 
while  now  they  wish  to  make  a  case  against  the 
apostles.  But  Peter,  spokesman  again  before  the 
Sanhedrin,  does  not  hesitate  to  say :  "Whom  ye 
slew,  hanging  him  on  a  tree."  He  boldly  re- 
asserted the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  to 
the  Sadducees  and  announces  Jesus  as  Prince  of 
life  and  Saviour  from  sin.  The  defense  was  short 


142  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

and  sharp  and  cut  to  the  quick.  The  Sadducees 
were  angry  enough  to  murder  Peter  on  the  spot. 
The  result  might  have  been  very  serious  but  for 
the  intervention  of  GamaHel,  the  leading  Pharisee 
of  the  time,  who  was  glad  of  an  opportunity  to 
score  a  point  against  the  Sadducees.  When  the 
apostles  were  excused  for  a  moment,  Gamaliel 
proceeded  to  tell  the  story  of  Theudas  and  Judas 
of  Galilee  who  had  run  their  course  and  passed 
away.  He  advocated  the  policy  of  laissez-faire, 
or  non-interference  on  the  plea  that  it  would  die 
if  let  alone  unless  God  were  with  it.  The  doc- 
trine of  Gamaliel  will  not  do  as  a  working  prin- 
ciple always,  but  it  divided  the  Sanhedrin  and 
the  Sadducees  were  outwitted.  The  apostles 
reaped  the  benefit  of  this  attitude  of  Gamaliel, 
who  was  by  no  means  a  Christian.  They  were 
beaten  and  charged  again  not  to  preach  in  the 
name  of  Jesus.  "They  ceased  not  to  teach  and 
to  preach  Jesus  as  the  Christ,"  "rejoicing  that 
they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  dishonor  for 
the  Name."  The  disciples  were  safe  from  death 
because  of  a  divided  Sanhedrin. 

10.   Jealousy  among  the  Disciples  (Acts  6:  1-6). 

It  grew  out  of  money  and  the  women.  The 
church  at  Jerusalem  had  many  Grecian  (Hel- 
lenistic) Jews  (of  the  Dispersion),  who  imagined 
that  in  the  distribution  of  the  common  fund  al- 
ready raised  there  was  discrimination  against  the 
Hellenistic  widows  in  favor  of  the  Aramaean 
widows  (Palestinian  Jews).     It  may  have  been 


Power  for  the  "New  Start.  143 

all  imagination,  but,  once  started,  it  was  hard  to 
stop  such  talk  that  grew  to  murmuring  and  al- 
most to  wrangling.  There  was  material  for  a  pretty 
quarrel.  The  apostles  acted  with  great  wisdom, 
expressing  a  desire  to  be  rid  of  that  part  of  the 
work.  They  requested  the  whole  multitude 
(church)  to  select  seven  men  to  serve  tables  in 
this  matter.  The  men  chosen  were  all  Hellenists, 
whereas  the  apostles  were  all  Palestinian  Jews. 
Thus  the  mouths  of  the  Hellenistic  Jews  were 
closed  on  this  subject,  for  the  matter  was  now  in 
their  own  hands.  One  of  the  seven  (Nicolaus) 
was  even  a  proselyte.  We  probably  see  here  the 
origin  of  the  office  of  deacon,  though  the  point  is 
not  certain. 

11.  The  Conversion  of  Sadducees  (Acts  6:  7). 

The  statement  that  "a  great  company  of  priests 
were  obedient  to  the  faith"  is  significant.  The 
priests  were  usually  Sadducees,  who  had  been  so 
active  in  arresting  the  apostles.  It  is  a  fine  out- 
come and  doubtless  embittered  the  Sadducees  all 
the  more. 

12.  Stephen  and  the  Pharisees  (Acts  6:  8—7:  60). 
The  disciples    might    have    enjoyed  a  much 

longer  period  of  comparative  safety  but  for  the 
activity  of  Stephen,  one  of  the  seven  chosen  to 
serve  tables.  He  was  a  man  full  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  became  very  active  in  the  synagogues 
of  Jerusalem  where  the  Hellenistic  Jews  wor- 
shiped.   These  Jews  disputed  with  Stephen,  but 


144  Studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

were  no  match  for  him.  It  is  probable  that  in  the 
Cilician  synagogue  Stephen  was  confronted  by 
young  Saul  of  Tarsus,  the  bright  star  of  Judaism, 
fresh  from  the  seminary  of  Gamaliel.  But  he, 
too,  went  down  before  Stephen.  The  teaching  of 
Stephen  took  a  turn  similar  to  that  of  Jesus.  The 
apostles  had  naturally  laid  chief  emphasis  on  the 
fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  as  proof  of  his 
Messiahship  when  taken  in  connection  with  his 
claims  and  his  character  and  work.  This  had 
stirred  the  hostility  of  the  Sadducees.  But 
Stephen  proclaimed  in  particular  the  spiritual 
nature  of  the  worship  of  God  as  independent  of 
a  place  like  the  temple.  He  made  the  heart  the 
place  of  God's  abode  with  man.  The  Pharisees 
recognized  that  this  was  the  same  note  struck  by 
Jesus,  whom  they  had  persecuted  to  his  death.  So 
now  the  Pharisees  take  a  fresh  interest  in  the 
attack  on  the  Christians  and  Gamaliel  makes  no 
point  against  the  Pharisees  in  defense  of  Stephen. 
There  is  a  curious  parallel  between  the  charge 
against  Stephen  and  that  against  Jesus.  They 
even  hired  false  witnesses  against  him  and  were 
determined  on  his  death  from  the  start.  The 
speech  of  Stephen  is  a  skillful  survey  of  Jewish 
history  in  justification  of  his  main  point,  which 
he  repeats,  that  God  is  not  dependent  on  the  tem- 
ple for  his  worship.  Stephen  turned  the  history 
of  the  Jews  against  them.  They  retorted  with 
rage  and  the  Sanhedrin  turned  into  a  mob  and 
stoned  him  to  death.  It  was  illegal,  but  it  was 
probably  a  time  of  transition  as  to  procurators 


Power  for  the  New  Start.  2.45 

and,  anyhow,  confusion  existed.  The  calm  spirit 
of  Stephen  as  he  gazed  upon  the  face  of  Jesus 
made  its  impress  upon  young  Saul,  who  at  least 
now  had  his  revenge. 

13.  Saul's  Vengeance  (Acts  8:   1-4). 

But  the  taste  of  blood  whets  the  appetite  for 
more.  Pharisee  and  Sadducee  were  now  united 
again  and  Saul  sprang  to  the  front  as  leader  in 
the  first  genuine  persecution  of  the  Christians  as 
Christians.  Only  the  apostles  had  heretofore 
been  arrested,  but  now  none  were  free  from  per- 
secution. Even  women  were  committed  to  prison 
and  sentenced  to  death  by  the  Sanhedrin,  which 
was  once  more  exercising  the  power  of  life  and 
death.  Saul  did  not  hesitate  to  enter  into  private 
homes  to  make  arrests.  He  hunted  the  church 
like  a  flock  of  partridges  that  fluttered  as  they  flew. 
Those  not  caught  flew  far  and  wide  and  told  of 
Jesus  as  they  went.  Thus  were  the  lay  preachers 
forced  to  go  out  of  Jerusalem  to  carry  the  good 
news  to  Judea,  Samaria  and  the  uttermost  part  of 
the  earth.  Too  long  they  had  tarried  in  Jerusalem. 

14.  The  Work  of  Philip  (Acts  8:  5-40). 

Another  one  of  the  seven  comes  to  the  fore, 
while  the  apostles  seem  comparatively  inactive, 
though  they  at  least  withstood  Saul's  attacks  in 
Jerusalem.  Philip's  great  success  in  Samaria  was 
among  a  people  only  half- Jews  and  thoroughly 
disliked,  and  yet  Peter  and  John  made  no  objec- 
tion, when  they  came,  to  the  baptism  of  these  Sa- 

10 


146  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

maritans  by  Philip  which  had  already  taken  place. 
The  Samaritans  had  been  circumcised  and  were 
technically  Jews.  But  at  any  rate  the  gospel 
was  spreading  farther  from  Jerusalem.  The  case 
of  Simon  Magus  is  typical  of  impostors  in  all 
ages  who  know  their  own  hoUowness  and  rate 
other  people  at  their  own  estimate  of  themselves. 
His  proposal  to  buy  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
proves  that,  though  baptized,  he  was  a  hypocrite 
and  unsaved.  Simony  to  this  day  is  a  sin  bearing 
his  name,  when  one  seeks  to  buy  ecclesiastical 
preferment.  The  case  of  the  eunuch  from  Ethio- 
pia reveals  the  brighter  side  of  Philip's  work.  He 
may  have  been  a  proselyte,  but  even  so  he  was 
hardly  a  Jew  by  birth,  though  evidently  interested 
and  a  reader  of  the  Septuagint.  Christ  can  save 
a  man  of  Ethiopia  or  a  man  of  Samaria.  Philip 
worked  also  in  Philistia.  Evidently  Christianity 
is  not  dead. 

15.   Peter  and  Cornelius  (Acts  9:  32 — 10:  48). 

This  important  episode  is  recorded  after  the 
conversion  of  Saul  and  after  peace  came  to  the 
church  (Acts  9:  31).  We  shall  leave  that  great 
event  for  the  next  chapter.  Peter  now  felt  jus- 
tified in  leaving  Jerusalem  for  awhile.  We  see 
him  at  Lydda  and  at  Joppa.  The  vision  that  came 
to  Peter  on  the  housetop  of  Simon  the  tanner 
was  a  necessary  preparation  for  the  work  before 
him  in  the  house  of  Cornelius,  the  Roman  cen- 
turion in  Csesarea.  The  protest  of  Peter  reveals 
the  strength  of  his  Jewish  prejudices  and  the 


Power  for  the  New  Start.  147 

difficulties  in  the  way  of  giving  the  gaspel  to  the 
heathen.  Peter  evidently  as  yet  had  supposed 
that  the  heathen  would  become  Jews  as  well  as 
Christians.  The  two  men  had  to  be  prepared  for 
each  other  (Peter  and  CorneUus).  Even  so 
Peter  showed  embarrassment  when  he  violated 
his  Jewish  customs  and  entered  the  house  of  Cor- 
nelius. However,  he  preached  the  free  gospel  of 
grace  to  Cornelius  and  his  household,  which  God 
greatly  honored,  and  Peter  had  the  converts  bap- 
tized. Here  was  in  fact  a  Roman  church.  Peter 
had  crossed  the  Rubicon.  The  Spirit  of  God 
came  in  such  power  on  these  Gentiles  that  it  was 
like  a  Gentile  Pentecost. 

16.  The  Protest  of  the  Pharisaic  Christians  in  Jeru- 
salem (Acts  11:  1-18). 
It  was  inevitable.  The  Pharisees  had  perse- 
cuted Jesus  and  Stephen.  Those  now  Christians 
were  still  Pharisees  and  had  no  idea  of  being 
aught  else.  Hence,  this  party,  for  now  we  see 
parties  in  the  Jerusalem  church,  made  public  pro- 
test to  Peter  against  his  conduct  in  Csesarea.  The 
first  case  of  church  discipline,  for  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  were  simply  struck  dead,  was  that  of 
Peter  at  the  hands  of  the  reactionary  anti-mis- 
sionary (Hardshell)  element  in  the  church  in 
Jerusalem  for  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  heathen 
and  eating  in  Cornelius'  house.  Peter  admitted 
the  charge  and  recounted  God's  dealings  to  show 
that  it  was  the  will  and  work  of  God.  He  ap- 
pealed to  the  six  brethren  as  witnesses  of  his 


148  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

words.     The  Pharisaic  party  submitted  for  the 
moment,  but  there  was  trouble  ahead. 

17.  The  Hand  of  the  State  (Acts  12:  1-24). 

Herod  Agrippa  I  is  king  of  all  Palestine  A.D. 
42-44,  and  while  at  Jerusalem  killed  James,  the 
brother  of  John,  with  the  sword.  Anxious  to 
please  the  Jews,  he  arrested  Peter  and  placed  him 
in  prison.  Now  the  civil  power  is  used  against 
the  apostles  for  the  first  time.  The  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees  finally  made  Pilate  do  their  bidding 
against  Jesus.  So  now  it  is  true  of  Herod 
Agrippa  I.  It  was  a  crucial  moment  for  the  dis- 
ciples, and  they  met  in  the  house  of  Mary,  the 
mother  of  John  Mark,  for  prayer.  God  heard 
them  and  set  Peter  free  by  an  angel's  visit,  and 
Peter  seems  soon  to  have  left  Jerusalem  for  a 
place  of  safety.  James,  the  brother  of  Jesus, 
is  now  the  leader  in  Jerusalem.  The  death  of 
Herod  came  as  a  punishment  from  God  and  a 
blessing  to  the  Christians.    (See  Acts  12 :  2^i.) 

18.  The  Epistle  of  James. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  dispute  as  to  the  date 
of  this  Epistle,  written  by  the  brother  of  Jesus, 
who  had  become  leader  in  Jerusalem.  It  is  argued 
that  James  wrote  in  reply  to  Paul's  doctrine  of 
salvation  by  grace  and  taught  salvation  by  works. 
But  James  taught  salvation  by  true  faith  that  was 
proved  by  works  (James  2:  18).  This  is  the 
position  of  John  the  Baptist,  of  Jesus,  of  Peter, 


Power  for  the  New  Start.  I49 

of  John,  and  of  Paul  himself.  Paul  may  have 
had  in  mind  a  perversion  of  James'  insistence  on 
works  as  proof  of  faith.  It  does  not  seem  likely 
that  James  knew  of  Paul's  teaching  when  he 
wrote.  The  atmosphere  of  the  Epistle  is  early. 
It  was  probably  written  before  the  Jerusalem  con- 
ference with  no  reference  to  the  Judaizing  con- 
troversy. The  Epistle  is  a  wonderfully  clear  and 
able  discussion  of  real  religion.  James  was  a 
thorough  Jew  and  the  book  is  very  much  like  one 
of  the  Old  Testament  prophecies  glorified  with 
Christianity.  James  shows  knowledge  of  the 
teachings  of  Jesus  whom  he  worships  as  Lord. 
James  wrote  to  the  Christian  Jews  of  the  Eastern 
Dispersion.  His  position  at  Jerusalem  gave  him 
the  ear  of  these  believers.  He  probably  wrote 
about  A.D.  48. 


160  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 


TOPICS   FOR   REVIEW. 

1.  Prayer. 

2.  Matthias. 

3.  The  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

4.  The  Sadducaic  persecution. 

5.  Christian  sociaHsm. 

6.  Class  jealousy  in  church. 

7.  Stephen. 

8.  Pharisaic  persecution. 

9.  Saul  as  persecutor. 

10.  Philip. 

11.  Simon  Magus. 

12.  The  eunuch  of  Ethiopia. 

13.  Cornelius. 

14.  The  work  of  Peter  with  the  heathen. 

15.  The  Gentile  Pentecost. 

16.  The  Pharisaic  element  in  Christianity. 

17.  Civil  power  and  Christianity. 

18.  The  Epistle  of  James. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE  NEW  WITNESS  FOR  CHRIST. 


We  can  here  only  sketch  the  career  of  Saul  up 
to  Acts  12 :  25 — just  before  he  entered  upon  his 
first  mission  campaign.  The  work  of  this  great 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles  covers  a  large  part  of  the 
apostolic  period,  and  has  to  be  discussed  in  vari- 
ous chapters  from  several  angles.  No  attempt  is 
here  made  to  piece  together  the  items  known 
about  Saul's  youth  and  training,  for  which  one 
must  consult  the  various  books  on  Paul. 

1.   The  Breath  of  Slaughter  (Acts  9:  If;  22:  3-5;  26: 
4^11;  Galatians  1:  13f). 

Paul  tells  us  enough  himself  in  his  speeches 
and  letters  for  us  to  know  the  broad  outline  of  the 
young  man  who  meets  us  at  the  stoning  of 
Stephen  (Acts  7:  sSf),  who  carried  on  a  sys- 
tematic and  extremely  successful  persecution 
against  the  Christians  in  Jerusalem  (Acts  8 :  1-4), 
and  who  now  starts  towards  Damascus  to  finish 
his  task  (Acts  9:  if).  We  know  that  he  was 
born  in  Tarsus  and  was  a  Pharisee,  the  son  of  a 
Pharisee.  Though  a  Hellenistic  Jew,  he  was 
not  a  Hellenizer,  but  of  Aramaean  ancestry.  He 
belonged  to  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  and  was  proud 

(151) 


152  studies  in  the  New  Testament 

of  his  lineage  and  loyal  to  the  traditions  of  his 
house.  He  was  born  a  Roman  citizen  and  studied 
under  Gamaliel  in  Jerusalem.  The  life  of  Tarsus 
and  Jerusalem  blended  in  him  in  a  way.  Though 
a  thorough  Jew,  he  yet  had  a  cosmopolitan  out- 
look and  had  some  contact  with  the  culture  of  the 
world.  But  in  spirit  he  was  a  Pharisee  of  the 
most  straitest  sect.  He  was  very  much  aroused 
against  the  Christian  movement  as  endangering 
the  future  of  Pharisaism.  We  do  not  know 
whether  he  ever  saw  and  heard  Jesus  before  his 
crucifixion  or  not.  On  the  whole,  perhaps  we 
have  to  think  that  he  did  not.  But,  at  any  rate, 
he  was  keenly  alive  to  the  issues  presented  by  the 
preaching  of  Stephen.  He  at  once  becomes  the 
leader  in  the  great  movement  to  stamp  out  Chris- 
tianity. The  death  of  Jesus  had  made  the  situa- 
tion worse  than  ever  from  the  Jewish  standpoint, 
for  the  pestiferous  heresy  had  taken  root  in  Jeru- 
salem instead  of  Galilee.  The  Sadducees  had 
failed  miserably  in  their  attempt  to  crush  the  sect 
of  the  Nazarenes.  It  was  now  the  turn  of  the 
Pharisees  with  Saul  as  the  leader.  He  had  de- 
veloped remarkable  capacity  for  leadership  and 
efficiency.  The  old  leaders  in  Judaism  at  once 
stepped  aside  and  gave  this  brilliant  young  man 
the  right  of  way.  He  was  probably  already  a 
member  of  the  Sanhedrin,  as  he  speaks  of  his  vote 
in  the  body  (Acts  26:  10).  He  had  certainly 
scattered  the  Jerusalem  Christians  far  and  wide. 
Some  had  been  slain  and  yet  Saul  was  not  sat- 
isfied.   "But  Saul,  yet  breathing  threatening  and 


The  New  Witness  for  Christ.  153 

slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  went 
unto  the  high  priest  and  asked  of  him  letters  to 
Damascus."  The  very  breath  of  Saul  had  come 
to  be  the  death  of  the  disciples.  This  he  inhaled 
and  exhaled.  He  was  not  sure  that  there  were 
any  disciples  in  Damascus,  but  he  wished  to  go 
and  see.  This  authority  of  the  Sanhedrin  over 
Jews  outside  of  Palestine  is  somewhat  like  the 
power  of  the  Pope  over  Roman  Catholics  every- 
where. Christianity  is  termed  ''the  Way,"  and 
Saul  was  after  women  as  well  as  men.  He  has 
buried  his  scruples  in  the  lust  for  blood  for  the 
glory  of  Pharisaism. 

2.    Stopped  by  Jesus.  (Acts  9:  4-9;  22:  6-11;  26:  12- 
19;  1  Corinthans  15:  8-10;  Galatians  1:  15f). 

It  was  the  last  thing  in  Saul's  thoughts,  for  he 
started  to  Damascus  as  a  conqueror  and  the  hero 
of  a  triumphant  Pharisaism.  True,  there  had 
been  moments  when  doubt  had  crossed  his  mind. 
The  death  of  Stephen  made  its  mark  upon  him. 
Some  of  the  women,  as  they^ied,  seemed  also  to 
be  looking  at  the  face  of  Christ.  But  Saul  had 
drowned  these  broodings  in  more  slaughter.  Every 
phrase  in  the  narrative  of  Luke  and  in  Paul's  Epis- 
tles has  been  scrutinized  with  the  greatest  care, 
for  the  conversion  of  this  man  marks  one  of  the 
turning  points  in  history,  and  forms  one  of  the 
chief  bulwarks  of  the  historical  foundation  of 
Christianity.  The  Epistles  of  Paul  bear  direct 
and  explicit  witness  to  the  fact  that  Jesus  ap- 
peared to  him  on  the  road  to  Damascus  in  the 


154  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

same  fashion  as  he  appeared  to  Peter  and  the 
rest.  The  details  are  given  by  Luke  in  three 
places  with  minor  variations  that  do  not  affect 
the  main  point,  which  agrees  with  Paul's  own 
statement.  The  fact  that  Luke  gives  Paul's  two 
addresses  in  chapters  22  and  26,  in  addition  to 
his  own  account  in  chapter  9,  shows  his  estimate 
of  the  importance  of  the  event.  Luke  probably- 
heard  both  of  these  speeches  of  Paul  and  could 
have  made  notes  on  them.  All  sorts  of  theories 
have  been  advanced  to  explain  away  the  inevi- 
table meaning  of  the  whole  story  that  Saul  saw 
the  risen  Jesus  and  heard  his  voice.  No  epileptic 
fit,  no  sunstroke,  no  swoon,  no  flash  of  lightning 
can  explain  what  occurred.  The  career  of  Saul 
as  persecutor  is  stopped,  and  at  once.  No  pos- 
sible motive  for  a  voluntary  change  on  Saul's 
part  can  be  imagined.  He  was  seized  upon  by 
Jesus,  to  whom  he  surrendered  on  the  spot,  and 
his  whole  life  turned  about  in  exactly  the  opposite 
direction.  It  is  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

3.    Baptized  by  Ananias  (Acts  9:  10-19;  22:   12-16). 

In  the  vision  Jesus  had  told  Saul  to  go 
to  Damascus  where  it  would  be  told  him  what  he 
must  do.  In  his  blindness  he  went  on,  led  by  the 
hand  of  one  of  his  companions.  He  could  not 
see  for  the  glory  of  that  light  which  he  had  seen. 
At  the  house  of  Judas  he  prayed  and  waited.  God 
had  to  prepare  a  man  to  minister  to  Saul,  for  all 
the  Christians  in  Damascus  were  afraid  of  him. 


The  New  Witnest  fer  Christ.  155 

Ananias  made  protest  to  Jesus,  who  appeared  to 
him  in  a  vision,  before  he  was  willing  to  go  (cf. 
Peter  and  Cornelius).  At  the  hands  of  Ananias 
Saul  had  his  eyes  opened,  receiving  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Ananias  told  him  of  the  mis- 
sion assigned  him,  and  baptized  him.  "For  thou 
shalt  be  a  witness  for  him  unto  all  men  of  what 
thou  hast  seen  and  heard"  (Acts  22  :  15).  He  was 
appointed  by  Jesus  as  minister  and  witness,  both 
of  what  he  had  seen  and  what  he  would  see  when 
Jesus  would  appear  to  him  in  the  future  (Acts 
26:  16),  an  apostle  on  a  par  with  the  twelve 
appointed  directly  by  Jesus  himself  while  on 
earth  (Galatians  i:  12).  So  Saul  was  qualified 
for  his  great  mission  and  tarried  in  Damascus  a 
few  days  with  the  disciples  who  had  to  get  used 
to  seeing  him  in  his  new  role.  The  wolf  had 
suddenly  become  a  lamb. 

4.    Preaching    Jesus    In    Damascus    (Acts  9:    20-22; 
26:  20a). 

He  soon  began  to  preach  in  Damascus.  "He 
proclaimed  Jesus,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God" 
(Acts  9:  20).  This  he  knew  by  experience  as 
the  basis  of  his  new  theology  and  this  remained 
to  the  end  the  cardinal  tenet  with  Paul.  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God.  Everything 
else  in  his  theology  and  philosophy  had  to  be  re- 
adjusted to  that  proposition.  The  people  who 
heard  Saul  were  amazed  at  his  sudden  change  of 
base,  but  he  grew  in  power  and  confounded  the 
Jews.     Christianity  had  now  a  witness  superior 


156  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

in  mental  endowments  and  scholastic  training  to 
any  of  the  twelve;  had  won,  in  fact,  the  chief 
exponent  of  Pharisaism  who  has  now  become  a 
champion  of  Christ. 

5.   Turning  to  Arabia  (Galatians  1:   16f). 

Saul  faced  a  crisis.  He  must  either  go  back 
to  Jerusalem  where  he  now  had  no  friends  at  all, 
go  on  here  at  Damascus  where  he  was  an  object 
of  suspicion,  or  seek  a  new  environment.  He 
decided  on  the  last  plan  and  retired  to  Arabia. 
He  may  even  have  gone  as  far  as  Mt.  Sinai,  and 
there  in  the  shadow  of  the  rocks  where  Moses 
found  God's  message  Saul  may  have  reflected  on 
the  new  turn  in  his  affairs.  He  had  plenty  to 
think  about.  Much  in  his  Pharisaism  was  true, 
but  he  had  to  change  completely  his  old  theory  of 
a  political  Messiah  and  a  political  kingdom,  for 
Jesus  was  dead  and  risen  and  no  such  kingdom 
was  now  possible.  Besides,  Jesus  had  appointed 
Saul  apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  What  place  in  this 
new  kingdom  was  there  for  Gentiles?  Peter 
faced  that  problem  at  Csesarea  as  Paul  did  in 
Arabia.  Saul  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood. 
He  knew  Pharisaism,  the  Jewish  apocalyptic 
teaching,  and  the  main  outlines  of  Christianity. 
Just  now  he  wished  communion  with  Jesus  and 
reflection  more  than  anything  else.  He  must  have 
time  to  put  his  theological  house  in  order  before 
he  undertook  to  tear  down  what  he  had  so  lately 
sought  to  build  up.  Saul  was  not  idle  in  Arabia, 
we  may  be  sure,  but  preached  Jesus  as  occasion 
offered. 


The  New  Witness  for  Ch/rist.  157 

6.  In  Damascus  Again   (Acts  9:  23-25;  Gralatians  1: 

17;  2  Corinthians  11:  32f). 

Saul  wished  to  come  back  to  Damascus  again 
to  show  the  brethren  where  he  had  been  recog- 
nized as  a  disciple  of  Jesus  and  where  he  had 
first  preached  that  he  was  faithful  to  his  new 
profession.  He  came  back  after  a  year  or  so  in 
Arabia  with  a  firmer  grip  than  before  on  his 
fundamental  contention  that  Jesus  was  the  Mes- 
siah, the  Son  of  God  (both  God  and  man).  This 
he  set  forth  with  so  much  energy  that  the  Jews 
planned  to  kill  him.  Thus  early  was  Saul  given 
a  taste  of  the  same  medicine  that  he  had  so  often 
given  to  the  disciples  in  Jerusalem.  The  Jews 
watched  the  gates  by  day  and  night,  and  even 
enlisted  the  help  of  Aretas,  the  king  (2  Corinthians 
11:  32) ,  who  at  this  time  had  charge  of  Damascus. 
The  plot  leaked  out  and  the  disciples  of  Saul 
(showing  that  Saul  had  won  some  to  Jesus  in 
Damascus)  arranged  for  his  escape.  It  was  a 
somewhat  humiliating  departure  through  a  hole 
in  the  wall  in  a  basket  at  night,  but  it  was  suc- 
cessful at  any  rate.  This  was  the  first  of  many 
narrow  escapes  in  store  for  Saul. 

7.  In  Jerusalem  with  the  Disciples  (Acts  9:   26-29; 

22:  17-21;  26:  20;  Galatians  1:  18f). 

Whither  should  Saul  now  go  ?  Sooner  or  later 
he  must  go  to  Jerusalem,  net  that  he  felt  the  need 
of  any  ecclesiastical  authority  or  endorsement 
from  the  twelve,  but  it  was  only  common  courtesy 
to  go  to  see  Peter  and  the  rest  and  see  how  they 


158  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

would  look  upon  his  ministry.  It  would  seem  as 
if  Saul's  conversion  was  not  known  in  Christian 
circles  in  Jerusalem,  or  at  least  not  believed, 
though  he  had  been  gone  some  three  years  (in 
round  numbers).  At  any  rate,  when  he  appeared 
in  Jerusalem  he  met  with  a  very  cold  reception 
from  the  disciples,  who  still  regarded  him  as  the 
persecutor,  while  the  Sanhedrin  considered  him 
a  turncoat  and  a  renegade.  It  was  only  after 
Barnabas  had  the  courage  to  take  Saul's  side  that 
the  disciples  opened  their  hearts  to  Saul.  Then 
Saul  and  Cephas  had  a  good  time  together.  He 
saw  also  James,  the  Lord's  brother,  and  preached 
in  the  Hellenistic  synagogues  with  such  power 
that  the  Jews  plotted  to  kill  him.  Saul  was  now 
willing  to  be  a  martyr  in  Jerusalem,  as  Stephen 
had  been,  whose  blood  he  had  helped  to  shed. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  how  Saul  has  come  to 
take  the  same  theological  position  as  Stephen,  and 
to  be  his  real  successor.  Jesus  had  to  appear  to 
Saul  in  a  trance  and  bid  him  depart  before  he 
was  willing  to  go.  He  was  to  go  far  hence  unto 
the  Gentiles.  The  brethren  came  with  Saul  down 
to  Caesarea  and  he  was  gone.  No  longer  was  he 
the  hero  of  the  Pharisees.  Not  yet  is  he  the 
trusted  apostle  among  the  disciples.  But  Jesus 
loved  him.    This  he  knew. 

8.    Back  in  Tarsus  and  Cillcia  (Acts  9:  80;  Galatlans 
1:  21-23). 

One  can  very  well  imagine  the  feelings  of  Saul 
a«  he  returned  to  Tarsus.     If  bis  father  and 


The  Neto  Witness  for  Christ,  159 

mother  were  living,  what  would  they  think  of 
their  brilliant  son,  now  that  he  is  a  follower  of 
Jesus,  the  despised  Nazarene?  He  had  been 
educated  for  a  rabbi  and  now  he  is  only  a  Chris- 
tian preacher.  And  what  would  Saul's  old  com- 
panions in  Tarsus  think  of  his  new  experience? 
We  do  not  know  specifically  that  Saul  preached  in 
Tarsus,  but  we  do  know  that  he  was  busy  in 
Syria  and  Cilicia.  He  was  apparently  all  alone 
in  this  great  region,  but  he  preached  Jesus  and 
with  such  success  that  the  news  of  it  spread  to 
the  churches  of  Judea,  who  glorified  God  in  Paul. 
These  years  in  the  Roman  provinces  of  Syria  and 
Cilicia  were  by  no  means  idle  years.  He  was 
already  far  hence  among  the  Gentiles  from  the 
standpoint  of  Jerusalem  and  Jewish  Christianity, 
though  at  home  when  in  Tarsus,  the  city  of  his 
birth.  But  Saul  did  not  wait  for  a  formal  move- 
ment on  the  part  of  Jewish  Christians  to  send 
him  to  the  Gentiles.  He  plunged  right  to  work 
among  the  Gentiles,  supported  himself  and  laid 
the  foundation  for  a  great  work.  For  later  churches 
were  there  which  he  strengthened  (Acts  15  :  41). 
Tarsus  was  his  base  of  operations,  but  he  worked 
through  all  the  region  round  about. 

9.  With  Barnabas  in  Antioch  (Acts  11:  19-29;  12:  25). 
In  a  sense,  Saul  was  responsible  for  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel  to  the  Greeks  in  Antioch,  for 
he  had  scattered  the  men  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene, 
who  came  as  far  as  Antioch  and  who  ventured  to 
preach  the  goods  news  to  Greeks,  as  Peter  had 


160  studies  in  the  Neiv  Testament. 

done  to  the  Roman  Cornelius  and  his  household 
at  Csesarea.  The  news  of  this  new  departure 
came  to  Jerusalem  and  Barnabas  was  sent  to 
make  investigation.  He  came  and,  being  a  good 
man  and  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  of  faith,  he 
remained  without  going  back  to  report.  He 
probably  knew  of  the  experience  of  Peter.  The 
work  grew  and  Barnabas  needed  help.  He  knew 
who  was  the  man  and  he  was  near.  Tarsus  was 
not  far  from  Antioch.  Barnabas  believed  in  Saul 
and  had  watched  his  work  at  Tarsus.  So  he 
brought  him  to  Antioch.  The  two  men  of  oppor- 
tunity joined  hands.  A  glorious  year  of  ingather- 
ing and  of  growth  followed.  There  was  now  a 
great  Greek  church  in  Antioch  surrounded  by  the 
smaller  churches  established  by  Saul  already. 
Antioch  was  the  center  of  the  Greek  Christian 
life.  The  name  Christian,  given  here  for  the  first 
time,  was  in  the  nature  of  a  nick-name.  The  dis- 
ciples in  Antioch  were  not  Jews  and  so  had  to 
have  a  name  of  their  own.  They  were  the  follow- 
ers of  Christ.  The  wisdom  of  Barnabas  and  Saul 
is  seen  in  the  visit  to  Jerusalem  with  a  handsome 
contribution  to  the  poor  saints  in  Jerusalem. 
Barnabas  had  himself  been  a  generous  contributor 
to  the  fund  there  and  he  knew  the  need  for  help. 
Besides,  it  was  now  a  time  of  famine.  This  gift 
from  the  Greek  Christians  would  show  their  sin- 
cerity and  would  be  far  better  than  argument 
about  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles.  The  Phari- 
saic party  at  Jerusalem  had  agreed  to  what  took 
place  in  Csesarea.     They  could  not  consistently 


The  New  Witness  for  Christ.  IQl 

object  to  a  similar  work  of  grace  in  Antioch.  The 
visit  was  well  received  by  the  elders  in  Jerusalem, 
who  are  now  mentioned  for  the  first  time.  They 
correspond  to  pastors  or  bishops  of  a  later  period. 
On  the  return  of  Barnabas  and  Saul  to  Antioch 
they  took  along  John  Mark.  The  apostles  seem 
to  have  been  missed  by  Barnabas  and  Saul.  Per- 
haps they  went  up  just  after  the  death  of  James 
and  the  arrest  and  release  of  Peter. 


TOPICS   FOR   REVIEW. 

1.  The  ancestry  of  Saul. 

2.  Tarsus. 

3.  Education  of  Saul. 

4.  Saul  and  Stephen. 

5.  Damascus. 

6.  Saul  and  the  Sanhedrin. 

7.  Conversion  of  Saul. 

8.  Ananias. 

9.  Saul  in  Arabia. 

10.  Saul's  new  standpoint. 

11.  Saul  in  Damascus. 

12.  Saul    in    Jerusalem    with    Barnabas    and 
Peter. 

13.  Saul's  call  as  an  apostle. 

14.  Saul  in  Tarsus. 

15.  Saul  in  Antioch. 

16.  The  wiork  of  Peter. 

17.  The  work  of  Barnabas. 


11 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE  CAMPAIGN  FOR  THE  GENTILES 

AND  THE  PROTEST  OF  THE 

JUDAIZERS. 


The  material  is  so  rich  for  this  period  that  one 
must  make  selection  and  use  great  condensation. 
In  the  first  and  second  missionary  journeys,  Paul 
covered  new  ground,  while  in  the  third,  in  the 
main,  he  merely  revisited  and  reworked  the  old 
fields.  This  chapter  will,  therefore,  embrace  the 
first  two  campaigns,  while  the  third  is  reserved 
for  the  next  chapter. 

1.   The  First  Great  Tour  (Acts  13,  14). 

(a)  The  Slow  Steps  Forward  (Acts  1-12). 

The  Great  Commission  included  all  nations. 
At  the  great  Pentecost  Jews  from  many  nations 
were  converted.  The  persecution  of  Saul  had 
scattered  the  disciples  far  and  wide.  Samaria 
and  Philistia  were  reached.  Finally  Romans  at 
Csesarea  and  Greeks  at  Antioch  were  converted 
and  not  circumcised,  in  spite  of  the  objections 
of  the  Pharisaic  element  in  Jerusalem.  Saul  had 
been  busy  in  Cilicia  before  Antioch..  What  next? 
It  is  probably  A.D.  47. 

(162) 


(163) 


164  studies  in  the  Neto  Testament. 

(b)  The  Impulse  from  the  Holy  Spirit  (Acts  13:  1,2). 
There  were  prophets  and  teachers  in  the  church 

at  Antioch,  while  there  were  the  twelve  apostles 
in  the  church  in  Jerusalem.  But  the  specific 
message  to  enter  upon  a  general  campaign 
among  the  Gentiles  came  to  the  prophets  in  An- 
tioch.  The  Great  Commission  of  Jesus  was  given 
to  the  five  hundred  in  Galilee,  including  the  eleven 
apostles,  but  they  had  not  carried  out  that  com- 
mission. So  now  the  Holy  Spirit  spoke  to  men 
in  Antioch,  in  a  new  environment,  free  from  Jew- 
ish exclusiveness.  The  message  was  heard  and 
obeyed.  It  does  not  appear  that  the  church  in 
Antioch  took  any  formal  action  in  the  matter. 
They  did,  however,  approve  the  campaign  under 
the  command  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  prayed  for 
the  new  missionaries  and  wished  them  well.  Such 
hearty  approval  was  not  possible  at  Jerusalem,  be- 
cause of  the  Pharisaic  element  (Acts  ii:  if) 
there.  The  church  at  Antioch  did  not  finance 
the  enterprise. 

(c)  The  Mission  Band  (Acts  13:  2-5). 

The  Holy  Spirit  named  Barnabas  and  Saul  and 
in  this  order.  Barnabas  was  the  older  and  the 
more  experienced  and  had  invited  Saul  to  come 
to  Antioch.  Saul  had  been  called  by  Jesus  the 
chasen  vessel  for  this  very  task,  but  none  the 
less  he  must  wait  for  the  development  of  events, 
and  Saul  knew  how  to  help  as  well  as  how  to  lead. 
The  selection  of  John  Mark,  a  cousin  of  Barna- 
bas, was  probably  due  to  Barnabas.      He    was 


Campaign  for  the  Gentiles.  2.65 

merely  "attendant"  and  was  not  named  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  the  call.  But  it  is  a  noble  band, 
these  three,  as  they  start  upon  the  first  formal 
evangelistic  campaign  on  an  extended  scale 
among  the  Gentiles.  Barnabas  is  from  Cyprus, 
Saul  from  Tarsus,  and  John  Mark  from  Jerusa- 
lem. Not  a  single  one  of  the  twelve  is  in  the 
number. 

(d)  The  Course  Pursued  (Acts  13:  4—14:  25). 

The  choice  of  Cyprus  was  obvious.  It  was  near, 
was  the  home  of  Barnabas,  was  also  the  abode 
of  some  Jews  and  Christians  who  would  serve  as 
a  starting  point.  The  details  of  the  work  are 
given  by  Luke  with  varying  fullness.  In  Cyprus 
the  opposition  of  Elymas  Bar-Jesus,  the  Jewish 
sorcerer,  to  the  conversion  of  Sergius  Paulus,  the 
proconsul  at  Paphos,  brought  Paul  to  the  front 
as  he  fiercely  denounced  the  oily  and  wily  sooth- 
sayer. Henceforth  Luke  uses  Paul  instead  of 
Saul,  as  Paul  does  always  in  his  Epistles.  Prob- 
ably both  names  were  given  him  at  birth,  Saulus 
Paulus,  one  Jewish  and  the  other  Roman.  From 
this  point  on  it  was  "Paul  and  his  company," 
"Paul  and  Barnabas,"  but  there  was  no  sign  of 
jealousy  on  the  part  of  Barnabas  at  this  leader- 
ship of  his  colleague.  The  desertion  of  John 
Mark  at  Perga  in  Pamphylia  was  a  sad  display 
of  inconstancy.  He  went  home  to  Jerusalem  be- 
cause unwilling  to  face  the  perils  of  rivers  and 
perils  of  robbers  upon  the  high  plateau  of  Pisidia 
and  Lycaonia,  whither  Paul  and  Barnabas  werQ 


166  studies  in  the  Neio  Testament. 

bent  on  going.  At  Antioch  in  Pisidia  Paul 
preached  a  sermon  of  great  power  in  the  Jewish 
synagogue,  the  outline  of  which  Luke  gives  us. 
This  is  the  first  full  outline  of  a  sermon  by  Paul 
that  is  preserved  for  us,  and  it  is  very  interest- 
ing in  showing  how  he  lays  down  the  main  items 
of  his  theology  as  seen  in  his  Epistles,  such  as  the 
Messiahship  of  Jesus,  his  atoning  death,  his  resur- 
rection from  the  dead,  remission  of  sin  through 
Jesus,  justification  by  faith  and  not  by  the  law 
of  Moses.  This  message  met  a  hearty  response 
from  many  of  the  Jews  and  the  devout  proselytes 
present.  In  fact,  Paul  had  succeeded  entirely  too 
well,  and  the  next  Sabbath  the  Jewish  leaders  in- 
terrupted Paul,  who  turned  to  the  Gentiles.  But 
the  Jews  managed  to  arouse  the  chief  men  of  the 
city  and  the  pious  women  against  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas. They  moved  on  to  Iconium  and  Lystra  where 
the  story  was  repeated.  The  Jews  came  on  from 
Antioch  in  Pisidia  and  stirred  up  the  multitude 
against  the  missionaries.  Modern  missionaries 
have  met  like  experiences.  At  Lystra  Paul  came 
near  to  death  at  the  hands  of  the  fickle  mob  who 
had  first  taken  him  to  be  a  god.  In  Pisidia  and 
Lycaonia  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  province  of  Galatia.  The  limit 
of  the  tour  was  Derbe,  where  Paul  and  Barnabas 
retraced  their  steps  in  order  to  establish  the 
churches  and  equip  them  with  officers. 


Campaign  for  the  OentUes.  I57 

(e)  The    Reception    at   Antioch    In   Syria    (Acts    14: 
26-28). 

It  was  a  joyful  welcome  on  the  return  of  the 
missionaries  to  the  home  church.  The  outstand- 
ing thing  was  that  the  door  of  faith  for  the  Gen- 
tiles stood  wide  open.    Should  they  keep  it  open  ? 

2.   The  Dennand  of  the  Judaizers  (Acts  15:  If). 

The  news  spread  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  Phari- 
saic element  that  had  brought  Peter  before  the 
church  decided  to  go  up  to  Antioch  and  lay  down 
the  law  to  Paul  and  Barnabas.  They  said  bluntly 
to  the  Greek  Christians :  ''Except  ye  be  circum- 
cised after  the  custom  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be 
saved."  It  was  all  very  disconcerting  to  the 
Gentile  converts  who  had  followed  Barnabas  and 
Paul  in  simple  trust  to  have  these  brethren  come 
from  Jerusalem,  the  mother  church,  and  speak  so 
dogmatically  to  the  effect  that  the  work  of 
Barnabas  and  Paul  was  all  wrong.  It  was  a  most 
serious  crisis.  To  agree  to  this  demand  would 
be  to  make  Christianity  merely  a  branch  of 
Pharisaism  and  to  impose  the  law  of  Moses  on 
the  Gentile  world.  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  long 
ago  thought  this  whole  matter  through  and  were 
ready  to  defend  their  position.  They  did  so 
promptly  and  effectively.  The  Judaizers  failed 
to  shake  Paul  and  Barnabas  and  the  church  at 
Antioch  was  loyal  to  Gentile  freedom. 


168  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

3.   The  Decision  at  Jerusalem  (Acts  15:  2-35;  Gala> 
tians  2:   1-10). 

One  cannot  say  that  Paul  agreed  to  go  to 
Jerusalem  to  find  out  what  to  believe  on  this 
subject.  He  had  made  up  his  mind  on  the  point 
of  Gentile  liberty  from  Jewish  ceremonialism. 
But  there  was  great  wisdom  in  going.  It  was 
important  that  Jerusalem  and  Antioch  should  see 
alike  on  this  question.  There  was  no  reason  to 
think  that  the  apostles  took  the  narrow  view  of 
the  Judaizers.  Peter  himself  had  already  been 
the  victim  of  their  attack  on  this  very  point,  but 
it  was  eminently  wise  to  see  these  face  to  face 
before  matters  had  gone  further.  Some  scholars 
do  not  place  the  public  conference  in  Acts  15  and 
the  private  interview  in  Galatians  2*.  i-io  at  the 
same  visit,  but,  all  things  considered,  it  is  prob- 
able that  we  have  simply  different  aspects  of  the 
same  visit,  A.D.  49  or  50.  Paul  is  interested  in 
Galatians  to  show  his  independence  of  the  apostles 
in  Jerusalem  and  mentions  the  conference  to  show 
how  they  agreed  with  him  in  spite  of  the  com- 
promising spirit  of  some  of  the  timid  brethren 
who  wished  Titus  circumcised  to  satisfy  the 
Judaizers,  whom  Paul  terms  **false  brethren." 
There  was  evidently  some  heat,  and  Paul  felt 
keenly  the  issue  at  stake,  but  he  and  the  leaders 
(James,  Peter  and  John)  saw  eye  to  eye  and 
agreed  on  a  division  of  work  in  broad  outline. 
There  w^ere  probably  two  public  meetings  with 
the  private  conference  coming  in  between  Acts 
15 :  5  and  6.    At  the  second  public  meeting  the 


Campaign  for  the  Gentiles.  ^g^ 

whole  matter  was  discussed  openly  and  at  length 
by  all  sides.  Peter  took  strong  ground  for  Paul, 
as  did  James,  who  presided.  Peter  showed  how 
the  Jews  themselves  had  to  believe  in  order  to 
be  saved,  and  James  showed  how  Amos  had 
prophesied  the  salvation  of  the  Gentiles.  The 
conference  voted  unanimously  for  Paul  and 
Barnabas  and  sent  a  letter,  probably  written  by 
James,  up  to  Antioch  by  Judas  and  Silas.  The 
freedom  of  the  Gentiles  from  the  ceremonial  law 
was  guaranteed.  They  were  asked  to  abstain 
from  idolatry,  murder  and  fornication  (Gentile 
vices)  and  to  respect  Jewish  sensibility  about 
things  strangled  and  meats  offered  to  idols.  This 
they  would  readily  do.  Paul  won  a  clear  vic- 
tory and  there  was  great  rejoicing  at  Antioch. 

4.   The  Weakness  of  Peter  and  Barnabas  at  Antioch 

(Galatians  2:  11-21). 

We  do  not  know  the  precise  date  of  this  visit 
of  Peter  to  Antioch,  whether  before  the  second 
mission  tour,  as  is  Hkely,  or  afterward.  But 
Peter  entered  into  full  fellowship  with  the  Gen- 
tile Christians  in  social  as  well  as  church  life. 
The  Jerusalem  conference  had  not  passed  on  the 
subject  of  social  relations  between  Jewish  and 
Gentile  Christians,  and  the  Judaizers,  who  had 
been  so  completely  vanquished  by  Paul  in  Jeru- 
salem, were  probably  glad  of  a  fresh  excuse  for 
reopening  the  controversy.  So,  when  some  of 
them  came  up  to  Antioch,  they  claimed  to  come 
from  James,  though  James  had  flatly  disclaimed 


170  studies  in  the  tiew  Testament. 

responsibility  for  their  former  visit  (Acts  15 : 
24).  It  is  not  likely  that  James  had  sent  such 
a  committee  to  investigate  Peter's  conduct  with 
the  Gentile  Christians,  though  probably  Peter 
had  gone  further  in  the  matter  of  social  equality 
than  James  himself  would  have  done.  But  the 
threat  had  its  effect  on  Peter,  "fearing  them  that 
were  of  the  circumcision."  It  was  a  plain  case 
of  cowardice  on  Peter's  part,  not  of  change  of 
conviction.  He  had  been  arraigned  before  the 
church  at  Jerusalem  once  before  on  this  very 
charge  (Acts  11 :  if).  It  was  a  lapse  of  courage, 
such  as  he  had  suffered  at  the  time  of  his  denials 
of  Christ.  Even  Barnabas  was  led  away  by  the 
dissimulation  of  Peter  and  the  other  Jewish 
Christians  at  Antioch.  It  cut  Paul  to  the  quick 
and,  standing  alone  for  Gentile  liberty,  he  de- 
nounced Peter  to  his  face  in  the  presence  of  all 
as  acting  like  a  Judaizer  and  playing  the  hypo- 
crite. Certainly  Paul  did  not  regard  Peter  as 
the  pope!  Peter  and  Barnabas  were  won  back 
to  Paul's  side.  It  was  a  hard  thing  to  do,  but 
better  far  to  have  spoken  strongly  than  to  have 
kept  still  and  lost  all  that  had  been  won. 

6.   The  Second  Great  Tour  (Acts  15:  36—18:  22). 

(a)  The  Dispute  Over  John  Mark  (Acts  15:  36-40). 
Paul's  suggestion  to  return  to  see  how  the 
churches  fared  led  Barnabas  to  propose  that  they 
take  Mark  again.  It  was  a  sharp  disagreement, 
as  Paul  would  have  none  of  it.    There  was  much 


(171) 


172  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

to  be  said  on  both  sides,  and  they  agreed  to  dis- 
agree, as  people  usually  have  to  do  in  such  mat- 
ters. Paul  wished  no  more  experiments  with  a 
quitter  and  Barnabas  wanted  Mark  to  have  an- 
other chance.  So  Barnabas  left  for  Cyprus  with 
Mark  and  Luke  drops  the  narrative  of  his  career. 
Paul  took  Silas  in  place  of  Barnabas  and  they 
left  with  the  good-will  of  the  church  at  Antioch. 

(b)  Syria  and  Cilicia  (Acts  15:  41). 

Paul  visited  the  churches  that  he  had  estab- 
lished before  coming  to  Antioch  to  help  Barna- 
bas and  confirmed  them. 

(c)  Lycaonla   (Acts  16:   1-5). 

Paul  came  through  the  Cilician  gates  over  the 
Taurus  mountains  and  struck  Derbe  first  and 
then  Lystra.  At  Lystra  he  found  Timothy,  a  son 
in  the  gospel  of  the  first  tour,  who  was  already 
an  active  worker  with  a  good  reputation.  Paul 
wanted  him  in  lieu  of  Mark,  but  he  was  half-Jew 
and  half-Greek  and  would  be  the  occasion  of  con- 
stant irritation  with  the  Jewish  Christians.  There 
was  no  principle  at  stake  as  in  the  case  of  Titus, 
and  so  Paul  had  Timothy  circumcised.  Paul  car- 
ried the  Jerusalem  decrees  with  him  to  assure 
the  Gentile  churches  of  their  liberty. 

(d)  Phrygia  and  Galatia  (Acts  16:  6). 

Luke  makes  no  mention  of  Iconium  in  Pisidia, 
save  that  Timothy  was  highly  esteemed  there. 
Paul  wished  to  push  on  westward  to  Ephesus 


Campaign  for  the  Gentiles.  ^73 

in  Asia,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  forbade  him.  Hence, 
Paul  turned  to  the  north  through  southeastern 
Phrygia  and  western  Galatia.  This  is  the  natural 
meaning  of  the  language,  though  Paul  is  already 
in  the  province  of  Galatia,  which  included  the  old 
Galatia,  Lycaonia,  Pisidia,  and  part  of  Phrygia. 
Hence,  Galatia,  like  Phrygia  and  Lycaonia,  could 
be  used  in  the  narrower  sense  of  the  old  Galatia 
to  the  north.  Scholars  are  not  agreed  about  this 
point,  some  holding  that  Paul  never  entered  this 
old  Galatia  at  all,  but  the  text  of  Luke  in  Acts 
16:  6  seems  clear  at  any  rate.  It  would  still  be 
an  open  question  to  whom  Paul  addressed  his 
Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  If  he  wrote  to  the  north 
Galatian  churches,  he  meant  to  go  on  without 
stopping,  but  an  infirmity  (illness?)  of  the  flesh 
led  to  his  enforced  residence  (Galatians  4:  13). 
Possibly  Luke  may  have  saved  his  life  at  this 
time. 

(e)  Troas  (Acts  16:  7-10). 

At  any  rate,  Luke  was  at  Troas  on  the  coast 
in  Mysia  (part  of  the  province  of  Asia).  For- 
bidden to  go  farther  north  into  Bithynia,  as  he 
had  been  prevented  from  going  west  into  Asia, 
Paul  split  the  difference  and  went  northwest  to 
Troas  (really  in  Asia,  after  all).  He  would  not 
go  back  nor  go  east  to  Babylonia.  The  call  to 
Macedonia  that  came  by  vision  at  Troas  brought 
Paul  to  a  fresh  crisis  in  his  ministry.  He  faced 
the  problem  of  going  to  Europe,  he  an  Asiatic 
Jew.    He  was  near  where  Alexander  the  Great 


174  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

had  landed  when  he  came  from  Macedonia  to 
conquer  Asia. 

(f)   PhilippI   (Acts  16:  11-40). 

We  do  not  knov/  whether  Luke's  home  was  m 
Philippi  or  not.  There  is  some  argument  for 
Antioch.  But  he  was  apparently  a  Greek  Chris- 
tian and  he  remained  at  Philippi  till  the  close  of 
the  third  mission  tour.  We  can  tell  his  presence 
by  his  use  of  "we"  and  "us."  Philippi,  named  in 
honor  of  Philip,  the  father  of  Alexander  the 
Great,  was  a  Roman  military  outpost  (colony). 
Few  Jews  were  here,  as  it  was  not  a  commercial 
center,  though  Lydia  had  a  good  trade  in  purple 
cloth,  for  which  Thyatira,  her  home  city,  was 
famous.  It  was  a  very  unpropitious  beginning 
that  Paul  had  in  Europe,  a  small  place  of  prayer 
(sometimes  used  of  synagogues)  several  miles 
out  of  the  city  by  the  river  side  (for  convenience 
of  the  Jewish  ablutions).  But  Paul  touched  the 
life  of  Philippi  from  this  place  through  Lydia  and 
her  household.  While  at  this  work  he  cured  the 
poor  girl  under  the  spell  of  an  evil  spirit,  who 
was  exploited  for  gain  by  a  group  of  masters. 
It  is  curious  how  sensitive  the  pocket  is  to  any 
infringement.  The  masters  of  the  girl  posed  as 
champions  of  Roman  regularity  against  Jewish 
customs  in  such  a  way  as  to  deceive  the  magis- 
trates and  the  populace.  It  was  an  old  trick 
that  has  often  succeeded  and  was  used  repeatedly 
against  Paul.  Only  the  intervention  of  God  that 
night  saved  Paul  and  Silas    from    death,    even 


Campaign  for  the  OeniUes.  175 

though  Paul  was  a  Roman  citizen  as  well  as  a 
Jew.  The  clamor  had  not  allowed  him  to  claim 
his  rights  in  this  matter.  But  the  earthquake  and 
the  conversion  of  the  jailer  led  the  magistrates 
to  wish  to  hush  the  matter  up  by  the  release  of 
Paul  and  Silas.  Then  Paul  asserted  his  rights 
and  brought  the  magistrates  to  their  knees  in  fear 
of  their  own  necks  for  mistreating  a  Roman  citi- 
zen. The  dignified  departure  of  Paul  and  Silas 
left  Luke  and  Timothy  behind  in  Philippi. 

(g)  Thessalonica  (Acts  17:  1-9). 

This  flourishing  city  by  the  sea,  the  metropolis 
of  Macedonia,  still  exists  as  Saloniki  and  had 
plenty  of  Jews.  Paul  took  advantage  of  the 
synagogue  to  reach  Jews  and  devout  Greeks  who 
attended  worship  there.  This  group  of  pious  Gen- 
tiles were  the  connecting  link  between  the  Jews 
and  the  Gentiles  everywhere.  Paul  had  all  too  great 
success  here  at  Thessalonica.  In  Philippi  Roman 
business  men,  as  they  called  themselves,  raised 
the  hue  and  cry  against  Paul.  In  Thessalonica, 
as  in  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  the  Jewish  rabbis  led  the 
attack.  At  Antioch  they  got  hold  of  the  leading 
men  and  women  of  the  city  and  possibly  had  Paul 
ordered  by  the  magistrates  cut  of  town.  Here 
at  Thessalonica  they  had  to  employ  a  lot  of 
**bums,"  lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort,  and  thus 
raised  a  big  stir  in  the  city,  and  with  that  pretext 
seized  Jason,  Paul's  host,  and  others,  since  they 
could  not  find  Paul.  They  accused  Paul  of 
preaching  sedition  and  setting  up  a  rival  king  to 


176  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

Caesar.  Jason  had  to  give  legal  security.  Hence, 
Paul  left  town,  to  keep  Jason  out  of  trouble.  In 
I  Thessalonians  1-3,  Paul  tells  a  good  deal  about 
his  work  in  Thessalonica.  He  probably  stayed 
more  than  three  weeks. 

(h)  Beroea  (Acts  17:  10-14). 

The  story  is  much  the  same  in  Beroea,  save 
that  the  Jews  had  a  singular  open-mindedness 
and  searched  the  Scriptures  to  see  if  Paul's  in- 
terpretation was  correct.  But  for  the  arrival  of 
Jewish  meddlers  from  Thessalonica  a  tremendous 
work  would  have  been  done.  As  it  was,  many 
believed.  Timothy  has  now  come  from  Philippi, 
and  with  Silas,  remained  in  Beroea,  while  Paul 
hurried  away  from  the  Jewish  rabbis,  who  gave 
him  no  rest. 

(i)  Athens  (Acts  17:  15-34). 

Some  of  the  brethren  went  with  Paul  to  Athens 
and  bore  back  an  earnest  request  from  Paul  for 
Timothy  and  Silas  to  come  on  with  all  speed. 
Timothy  seems  to  have  come  on  finally  ( i  Thes- 
salonians 3:  1-6),  and  to  have  been  sent  back  to 
Thessalonica  because  of  trouble  among  the  dis- 
ciples there.  But  at  first  Paul's  spirit  was  ex- 
ceedingly restless  in  Athens.  This  seat  of  cul- 
ture was  given  over  to  idolatry  and  the  beauty 
of  art  at  every  turn  smote  Paul's  heart  as  he  saw 
the  superstitions.  But  Paul  was  not  idle  in 
Athens.  He  spoke  to  the  Jews  in  the  synagogue 
on  the  Sabbath  and  mingled  with  the  crowds  in 


Campaign  for  the  Gentiles.  ^77 

the  agora  or  market  place  during  the  week.  The 
Epicureans  and  Stoics  ridiculed  his  teaching  and 
misunderstood  him  utterly,  but  some  were  polite 
and  curious  enough  to  wish  to  hear  him  further. 
So  on  Mars'  Hill  Paul  expounded  to  a  curious 
crowd  the  nature  of  the  true  God  and  the  hope  of 
eternal  life  in  Jesus  Christ.  As  soon  as  he  touched 
on  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  they  grew 
tired  and  excused  themselves,  while  some  even 
mocked.  So,  though  it  was  a  great  sermon,  the 
results  were  not  brilliant  in*Athens. 

(j)  Corinth  (Acts  18:  1-17). 

In  I  Corinthians  2:1-5  Paul  tells  us  his  frame 
of  mind  as  he  went  on  to  Corinth.  He  would 
stick  to  the  gospel  in  spite  of  the  treatment  at 
Athens.  Corinth  was  a  comparatively  new  city 
(rebuilt  by  Julius  Caesar),  the  capital  of  Achaia, 
and  was  eager  for  all  the  show  of  knowledge  and 
art.  They  affected  philosophy  and  religion,  but 
were  rich  and  corrupt.  The  very  term,  to 
"Corinthianize,"  meant  to  be  immoral.  But,  at  any 
rate,  the  tone  of  supercilious  intellectual  pride  was 
absent.  They  could  be  reached  whether  they 
liked  Paul's  simplicity  of  style  or  not.  Paul  was 
fortunate  at  Corinth  in  finding  Aquila  and  Priscilla 
as  co-workers  and  helpers.  Whether  they  were 
already  Christians  we  do  not  know.  The  trouble 
in  Rome,  which  led  to  the  expulsion  of  the  Jews 
by  Claudius,  was  over  one  "Chrestus"  (perhaps 
Qaristus).  But  it  was  the  coming  of  Silas  and 
Timothy  from  Thessalonica  with  good  things 
12 


178  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

from  there  and  from  Philippi  that  enabled  Paul 
to  devote  himself  with  concentration  to  preaching. 
The  effect  was  instantaneous.  Here,  again,  the 
jealousy  of  the  Jewish  leaders  proved  the  power 
of  Paul's  ministry.  They  refused  the  further  use 
of  the  synagogue  for  such  a  Christian  propa- 
ganda. Matters  did  not  improve  when  Paul 
moved  to  the  next  door  and  actually  captured 
Crispus,  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue.  Paul  evi- 
dently contemplated  leaving  before  matters  be- 
came too  serious,  for  Jesus  had  to  warn  him  by 
vision  to  stay.  The  rage  of  the  Jews  found  re- 
lief in  bringing  Paul  before  Gallio,  brother  of 
Seneca,  the  new  proconsul,  who  refused  to  in- 
terfere, and  thus  gave  Christianity  legal  standing 
in  Roman  law  as  a  form  of  Judaism.  It  was 
probably  the  Jews  who  beat  Sosthenes  for  not  get- 
ting Paul  punished.  Paul  remained  in  Corinth 
about  two  years,  probably  A.D.  51-52. 

(k)  The  Epistles  to  Thessalonica. 

The  coming  of  Silas  and  Timothy  to  Corinth 
with  news  about  the  excitement  in  Thessalonica 
over  the  second  coming  of  Christ  induced  Paul 
to  write  them  a  letter  during  this  stay  at  Corinth 
(A.D.  51-52).  Paul  had  been  misunderstood  and 
made  to  say  that  Jesus  was  going  to  return  while 
they  were  alive.  This  he  had  not  said,  but  simply 
that  they  must  be  ready,  for  Jesus  might  come 
at  any  time.  Some  had  gone  to  the  extreme  of 
stopping  all  work  because  of  their  belief  on  the 
subject.    So  Paul  wrote  with  great  warmth  and 


Campaign  for  the  OentUes,  179 

tenderness  and  explained  what  he  did  mean. 
Soon  he  wrote  again  a  second  letter,  as  some  still 
misunderstood.  Some  think  that  this  second  let- 
ter was  addressed  to  a  Jewish  church  in  Thes- 
salonica. 

(I)   Ephesus  (Acts  18:  18-21). 

Timothy  and  Silas  apparently  remained  in 
Corinth  or  went  back  to  Macedonia,  for  only 
Aquila  and  Priscilla  went  with  Paul  to  Ephesus. 
These  remained  there  while  Paul  went  to  Jeru- 
salem with  the  hope  of  returning  later,  as  he  did. 

(m)  Caesarer  c:n<^  Jerusalem  (Acts  18:  22). 

It  Is  not  clear  whether  Paul  went  up  to  Jeru- 
salem or  not,  though  that  is  the  probable  mean- 
ing of  the  language.  If  so,  we  know  nothing  of 
what  took  place.  Perhaps  the  apostles  were  all 
away. 

(n)  Antioch  (Acts  18:  22). 

So  Paul  is  once  more  back  in  Antioch.  It  is 
probably  A.D.  53.  Did  he  see  Barnabas?  At 
any  rate,  he  had  friends  in  plenty  here  who  would 
gladly  hear  the  wonderful  story  of  this  great  tour. 

6.    Where  are  the  Judaizers? 

We  shall  see  in  the  next  chapter  that  they  were 
busy  following  Paul's  trail  and  unsettling  his  con- 
verts. They  were  especially  active  in  Galatia  and 
Achaia.  So  Paul  had  to  fight  Jew  and  Gentile 
in  front  and  Judaizer  behind. 


180  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  Opening  the  door  for  the  Gentiles. 

2.  The  churches  in  Antioch  and  Jerusalem.. 

3.  The  call  to  be  a  missioiiary. 

4.  John  Mark. 

5.  Cyprus. 

6.  Sergius  Paulus. 

7.  Perga  in  Pamphylia. 

8.  Antioch  in  Pisidia. 

9.  Lystra  and  Derbe  in  Lycaonia. 

10.  Paul's  leadership. 

11.  The  Judaizers. 

12.  The  Jerusalem  conference. 

13.  Paul  and  the  twelve. 

14.  Peter's  weakness  at  Antioch. 

15.  Paul's  dispute  with  Barnabas. 

16.  Paul's  companions  on  the  second  tour. 

17.  Galatia. 

18.  The  call  to  Macedonia. 

19.  Philippi. 

20.  Thessalonica. 

21.  Beroea. 

22.  Athens. 

23.  Corinth. 

24.  Epistles  to  Thessalonica. 


CHAPTER  Xi. 


PAUL'S  GOSPEL. 


1.  Building   Up  the  Churches. 

During  the  third  great  tour  (probably  A.D. 
53-57  or  54-58)  Paul  in  the  main  re-visited  his 
former  fields  of  work.  The  stay  of  three  \ears 
in  Ephesus  was  chieiiy  new  work,  though  he  had 
visited  Ephesus  before.  The  trip  to  llhricurn 
was  also  new.  Paul  here  appears  as  the  mission- 
ary statesman  with  his  hand  upcn  the  work  at 
every  point  and  planning  to  win  the  Roman  em- 
pire to  Christ. 

2.  Teacher  of  the  Churches. 

During  these  years  Paul  wrote  the  great  doc- 
trinal Epistles  (i  Corinthians,  2  Corinthians, 
Galatians,  Romans).  There  is  a  possibility  that 
Galatians  was  written  earlier,  but  the  probable 
order  is  as  above.  These  Epistles  constitute  Paul's 
gospel  in  the  truest  sense  (Romans  2:  16).  The 
persistent  efforts  of  the  Judaizers  to  impose 
Judaism  upcn  Paul's  Gentile  converts  compelled 
him  to  interpret  the  gospel  in  terms  of  grace  and 
freedom.  His  work  at  Ephesus  was  of  great 
value,  but  these  Epistles  were  far  more  so.  There 

(181) 


(182) 


PauVs  Gospel.  183 

are  four  groups  of  Paul's  Epistles :  ( i )  i  and  2 
Thessalonians ;  date  A.D.  50-52 ;  chief  topic,  the 
second  coming  of  Christ.  (2)  i  and  2  Corinth- 
ians, Galatians,  Romans ;  date,  55-58 ;  chief  topic, 
justification  by  faith.  (3)  Philippians,  Philemon, 
Colossians,  Ephesians ;  date  60-63 ;  chief  topic, 
the  person  of  Christ.  (4)  The  Pastoral  Epistles 
(i  Timothy,  Titus,  2  Timothy)  ;  date,  65-68;  chief 
topic,  pastoral  and  ecclesiastical  problems. 

3.  Paul's  Companions. 

He  had  no  one  who  was  continually  with  him. 
Aquila  and  Priscilla,  Timothy,  Titus,  Erastus, 
Gains,  Aristarchus,  Apollos,  all  appear  at 
Ephesu's.  Timothy,  Luke,  Titus  and  Erastus  were 
also  in  Macedonia.  At  Corinth  a  number  of 
helpers  are  mentioned  like  Gains,  Erastus,  Quar- 
tus,  Tertius,  Timothy,  Lucius,  Jason,  Sopater, 
Phoebe  of  Cenchrese.  On  the  way  to  Jerusalem 
we  know  of  Sopater  of  Beroea,  Aristarchus  and 
Secundus  of  Thessalonica,  Gains  of  Derbe  and 
Timothy  of  Lystra,  Luke  of  Philippi,  Tychicus 
and  Trophimus  of  Ephesus  (Asia).  Paul  ap- 
parently left  Antioch  for  Ephesus  alone. 

4.  In  Galatia  Again  (Acts  18:  23). 

We  do  not  know  how  long  Paul  remained  at 
Antioch,  but  Luke's  language  implies  *som€ 
months.  He  had  promised  to  go  back  to  Ephe- 
sus (Acts  18:  21),  and,  after  a  good  rest,  set 
forth.    His  route  lay  through  the  upper  country 


134  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

(Acts  19:  i),  and  he  came  through  Galatia  and 
Phrygia  and  not  Phrygia  and  Galatia  (16:  6), 
as  before.  This  statement  apparently  means  that 
Paul  went  through  the  real  or  Celtic  (north) 
Galatia  instead  of  the  south  or  Lycaonian  part  of 
the  province.  But  it  is  a  technical  question  in 
much  dispute.  We  can  either  think  of  Paul  as 
going  through  the  old  route  (Derbe,  Lystra,  etc.), 
or  suppose  that  he  touched  towns  further  north, 
like  Ancyra  and  Pessinus,  in  north  Galatia  where 
he  may  have  gone  in  the  second  tour.  He  con- 
firmed the  churches  in  either  case. 

5.   Apollos  (Acts  18:  24-28). 

Before  Paul  reached  Ephesus  there  came  there 
from  Alexandria  a  brilliant  young  minister  of 
scholastic  training,  who  knew  only  the  teaching 
of  John  the  Baptist.  Apollos  seems  to  have 
known  accurately  the  story  of  Jesus  as  far  as 
John  knew  it,  but  missed  the  part  about  his  death, 
resurrection  and  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
at  Pentecost.  He  had  the  great  fortune  at  Ephe- 
sus to  fall  into  the  hands  of  Priscilla  and  Aquila, 
who  instructed  him  in  what  he  did  not  know  and 
gave  him  letters  of  introduction  to  the  saints  in 
Corinth,  whither  he  went  and  wrought  with  great 
power,  -so  much  so  that  some  thought  him  su' 
perior  to  Paul.  Apollos  had  only  the  baptism  of 
^     John  but  he  was  not  re-baptized. 


Paul's  Gospel.  185 

6.  Three  Years  In  Ephesus  (Acts  19:  1—20:  1,  18-35). 

(a)  Misinformed  Disciples  of  John  the  Baptist  (Acts 
19:  1-7). 
There  is  no  indication  that  this  group  of  twelve 
men  had  any  connection  with  Apollos  at  all. 
Apollos  did  know  a  good  deal  about  Jesus,  but 
these  men  were  ignorant  of  Jesus,  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  repentance.  Paul  instructed  them  de  novo, 
for  they  had  not  received  correctly  the  teaching 
of  the  Baptist  on  his  great  themes  (repentance, 
Jesus  as  Messiah,  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit). 
Paul  then  had  them  baptized,  for  their  former 
baptism  signified  nothing,  and  they  received  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

(43)   In  the  Synagogue  (Acts  19:  8). 

Here  Paul  preached  boldly  for  three  months 
about  the  kingdom  of  God,    when    his    success 
stirred  opposition  from  the  Jews,   as   so  often 
before. 
(c)  In  the  School  of  Tyrannus  (Acts  19:  9f). 

Paul  separated  the  disciples,  as  at  Corinth,  and 
made  the  school  of  Tyrannus  the  place  of  meet- 
ing. Here  for  two  years  more  he  labored  with 
great  results  all  over  the  province  of  Asia.  He 
made  his  own  living  while  there  (Acts  20:  34), 
as  at  Corinth  and  elsewhere,  and  yet  he  reasoned 
daily  about  Jesus.  The  work  spread  all  over  the 
province  of  Asia.  Ephesus  was  the  capital  of 
this  great  province  and  was  one  of  the  great  cities 
of  the  world.     The  pride  of  the  city  was  the 


186  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

temple  of  Diana,  which  was  one  of  the  seven 
wonders  of  the  world.  This  city  was  the  chief 
city  of  the  circle  of  seven  to  which  John  writes 
the  Revelation.  Paul's  long  stay  in  Ephesus  gave 
an  opportunity  for  his  work  to  strike  in  deep  and 
go  far  and  wide. 

(d)  Pagan  Superstition  (Acts  19:  11-20). 

The  worship  of  Diana,  of  Cybele  the  Phrygian 
mother  god,  the  mystery  cults,  the  soothsayers,  the 
sorcerers  and  exorcists,  all  flourished  in  Ephesus. 
God  honored  the  crude  faith  of  some  who  took 
handkerchiefs  from  Paul  and  were  healed  of  dis- 
eases (cf.  Peter's  shadow  and  the  hem  of  Christ's 
garments).  The  east  was  full  of  men  of  magic 
(cf.  Simon  Magus  and  Elymas  Bar-Jesus),  who 
victimized  the  people  with  their  frauds.  Luke 
records  the  sad  fate  that  befell  seven  sons  of 
Sceva  who  tried  to  imitate  the  language  of  Paul 
and  found  the  process  a  boomerang.  Possibly 
**both"  here,  as  once  in  the  papyri,  means  all  of 
them,  not  merely  two  (cf.  old  English).  The 
burning  of  the  magical  books  in  Ephesus  as  a 
result  of  this  episode  shows  the  depth  of  Paul's 
work  there  and  the  powerful  grip  of  superstition 
on  the  life  of  the  people.  The  study  and  use  of 
these  charms  flourished  not  only  at  Ephesus,  but 
all  over  the  Roman  world. 

(e)  Demetrius  (Acts  19:  23-41). 

The  rage  of  Demetrius  against  Paul  proves  still 
further  the  effective  ministry  of  Paul  in  Ephesus. 


PauVs  Gospel.  Ig7 

The  trade  of  Demetrius  fell  off  to  such  an  extent 
that  he  gathered  together  the  craftsmen  (labor 
guild)  just  like  a  meeting  of  liquor  dealers  in  a 
prohibition  campaign.  Demetrius  revealed  a  com- 
bination of  greed  for  gold  and  zeal  for  religion. 
He  used  the  popular  piety  as  an  asset  in  his 
business  and  raised  a  riot  in  the  name  of  Diana 
to  protect  his  business  interests.  He  did  it  with 
tremendous  success.  Paul  may  have  been  ill,  but 
even  so,  he  was  with  great  difficulty  kept  from 
going  to  the  rescue  of  Gains  and  Aristarchus  in 
the  amphitheater.  The  influence  of  the  Asiarchs, 
men  of  high  standing  as  presidents  of  the  games, 
kept  Paul  away.  It  was  a  typical  mob,  as  Alex- 
ander the  Jew  discovered.  But  for  the  town 
clerk's  appearance  blood  might  have  been  shed. 
But  the  disturbance  made  it  imperative  that  Paul 
leave  Ephesus  before  something  worse  happened. 
He  had  already  fought  with  wild  beasts  here 
(i  Corinthians  15  :  32),  whatever  that  means.  He 
may  refer  to  the  Judaizers  by  this  term.  He  had 
looked  death  in  the  face,  was  saved  by  the  help  of 
God  (2  Cor.  i:  9f).  It  is  possible  that  Paul 
may  have  been  in  prison  in  Ephesus  toward  the 
end.  Marcion  is  credited  with  saying  that  Paul 
wrote  to  the  Laodiceans  while  in  prison  in  Ephe- 
sus. One  wishes  that  one  knew  more  of  the  de- 
tails of  these  closing  months. 

7.    First  Corinthians. 

When  Paul  wrote  the  Epistles  he  expected  to 
remain  in  Ephesus  till  Pentecost  (i  Corinthians 


188  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

i6:  8).  Hence,  he  probably  wrote  about  pass- 
over  time.  It  was  likely  in  the  spring  of  A.D.  56 
or  57.  The  Demetrius  episode  came  after  Paul 
wrote  this  Epistle  and  caused  him  to  leave  sooner 
than  he  had  expected.  A  committee  had  come 
from  Corinth  consisting  of  Stephanas,  Fortunatus 
and  Achaicus  (i  Corinthians  16:  17),  who 
brought  a  letter  from  the  church  there  concern- 
ing various  problemxS  ( i  Corinthians  7 :  i ;  8 :  i ; 
12:  i;  16:  i).  They  probably  had  a  good  deal 
to  add.  The  household  of  Chloe  had  also  told 
Paul  of  the  division  in  the  church  ( i  Corinthians 
1 :  11).  Paul  had  already  written  the  church  a 
letter  concerning  a  case  of  gross  immorality  (i 
Corinthians  5:9).  He  had  also  sent  Timothy  to 
set  things  in  order  (i  Corinthians  4:  17)  before 
he  goes  himself  (i  Corinthians  16:  7).  He  may, 
indeed,  have  made  a  short  visit  himself,  but  it  is 
not  likely.  Apollos  had,  however,  come  back  to 
Ephesus  and  was  not  wiUing  to  return  now  (i 
Corinthians  16:  12).  Paul  thus  was  fully  ac- 
quainted with  the  situation  in  Corinth  and  was 
deeply  concerned  about  it.  The  church  was  torn 
into  factions  over  Paul,  Apollos,  Cephas  (Peter), 
and  even  Christ  (i  Corinthians  i :  12).  Paul  had 
founded  the  church,  but  Apollos  had  watered  it, 
and  each  had  his  following.  Apparently  Peter 
had  not  been  there  at  all,  but  at  any  rate  the  Ju- 
daizers  came  and  claimed  him  on  their  side  (since 
the  disagreement  at  Antioch).  Others,  in  disgust 
over  it  all,  set  up  a  Christ  party.  So  it  went.  The 
case  of  incest  was  mixed  up  also  with  the  party 


PauVs  Oospel.  189 

feeling.  Paul  ordered  the  man's  expulsion.  Per- 
verted views  of  marriage  existed.  Many  had 
scruples  about  eating  meat  that  had  been  placed 
before  an  idol.  The  head-dress  of  the  women  in 
worship  was  a  problem.  The  Lord's  supper  was 
the  occasion  of  gluttony.  The  very  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  had  led  to  VvTanglings.  The  resurrection 
of  Jesus  and  of  the  saints  was  denied.  The  col- 
lection for  the  poor  at  Jerusalem  was  not  taken. 
If  ever  a  church  was  in  a  tangle,  it  was  the  church 
at  Corinth.  The  secret  of  it  all  was  the  Judaizing 
propaganda  there  which  kept  things  in  a  stew. 
Paul  wrote  with  great  wisdom,  power,  spirit  and 
love. 

8.    In  Macedonia  Again  (Acts  20:  1;  2  Corinthians  2: 
12f;  7:  5-7,  13f). 

Before  leaving  Ephesus,  Paul  had  sent  Titus 
to  Corinth  to  do  what  apparently  Timothy  had 
been  unable  to  accomplish.  Paul  had  been  a  bit 
uneasy  about  Timothy's  power  in  this  delicate 
mission  (i  Corinthians  i6:  lof).  So,  when  Tim- 
othy returned,  he  sent  him  and  Erastus  on  to 
Macedonia  (Acts  19:  22),  The  plan  was  for 
Titus  to  come  back  through  Macedonia  and  meet 
Paul  at  Troas  as  he  went  from  Ephesus  to 
Philippi.  But  the  riot  in  Ephesus  made  Paul 
leave  Ephesus  ahead  of  schedule  time.  So  he  was 
at  Troas  before  it  was  time  for  Titus  to  arrive 
and  was  very  restless,  probably  weak  and  nervous 
from  a  long  illness.  He  was  at  the  nadir  of  de- 
spondency over  the  turn  of  affairs  in  Ephesus  and 


190  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

Corinth.  He  was  unable  to  enter  the  open  door 
of  opportunity  at  Troas  and  so  pushed  on  to 
Macedonia.  In  Philippi  he  could  be  with  Luke, 
Timothy,  Erastus  and  Lydia,  and  could  wait  for 
Titus. 

9.  Second  Corinthians. 

Fortunately  Titus  came  to  Macedonia  (2 
Corinthians  7:  5-7),  and  brought  good  news. 
Paul  had  probably  sent  another  letter  by  Titus 
much  sharper  in  tone  (cf.  2  Corinthians  2:  3f; 
7 :  8f )  than  i  Corinthians,  since  that  and  the  visit 
of  Timothy  had  failed  to  set  things  straight.  This 
sharp  letter  had  cost  Paul  tears  and  anguish  of 
heart  and  made  him  regret  writing  it  till  Titus  told 
how  much  good  it  had  done.  The  majority  have 
now  taken  Paul's  side  and  he  is  ready  to  forgive 
the  offender  who  has  given  so  much  trouble  (2 
Cor.  2:  5-11).  Who  this  man  was  we  do  not 
know,  but  he  has  shown  repentance.  Some  schol- 
ars think  that  this  lost  epistle  is  really  found  (or 
part  of  it)  in  chapters  10-13,  which  have  by  mis- 
take been  attached  to  the  later  epistle.  This 
theory  would  explain  the  tone  of  the  two  parts  of 
2  Corinthians,  but  the  old  view  does  that  also, 
which  makes  chapters  1-9  apply  particularly  to 
the  obedient  majority  and  chapters  10 13  to  the 
disobedient  minority.  Thus  the  four  factions  of 
Corinthians  have  now  become  two  (a  Pauline 
party  and  an  anti-Pauline  party).  The  Judaizers 
have  to  be  fcught  to  a  finish.  Paul  explains  at 
length  why  he  has  remained  away  so  long  to  spare 


PauVs  Gospel.  191 

them  from  his  anger  (2  Corinthians  i :  23 ;  2  :  if; 
13:  if).  They  had  accused  him  of  fickleness  (2 
Corinthians  i :  i6ff)  and  of  all  sorts  of  short- 
comings which  he  answered  in  detail  (i :  10-12). 
His  own  spirit  was  overjoyed  at  the  outcome  (2 
Corinthians  2:  I2ff)  and  he  gloried  in  the  min- 
istry (2  Corinthians  2:  14 — 6:  10)  in  a  wonder- 
ful panegyric  on  preaching.  He  gave  elaborate 
directions  for  the  completion  of  the  collection 
(8,  9),  and  asserted  his  apostolic  authority  over 
the  recalcitrant  minority  (13).  The  Epistle  vi- 
brates with  passion  and  power. 

10.  Illyrlcum  (Romans  15:  19), 

While  Titus  and  the  other  two  messengers  took 
this  powerful  Epistle  to  Corinth,  Paul  seems  to 
have  pushed  on  over  the  great  Egnation  Way 
westward  to  Illyricum  in  order  not  to  build  on 
another  man's  foundation  and  to  give  time  for  the 
letter  to  do  its  work.  It  seemed  to  have  done  it 
very  effectually,  for  no  more  trouble  appeared  at 
Corinth. 

11.  In  Corinth  Once  More  (Acts  20:  2f). 

It  is  not  clear  whether  Paul  had  actually  come 
twice  before  or  had  just  been  ready  to  come  (a 
Corinthians  2:  i ;  13:  i).  At  any  rate,  he  came 
this  time  and  remained  three  months  with  no  dis- 
turbance from  the  Judaizers  who  seem  to  have 
vanished  from  the  city.  Paul  has  troubles  while 
in  Corinth,  but  they  are  forebodings  about  Jeru- 
salem (Romans  15:  26-32).     He  feels  while  at 


192  f^tudies  in  the  New  Testament. 

Corinth  that  his  work  is  done  here,  perhaps  no 
longer  needed,  and  he  wishes  to  go  by  Jerusalem 
on  his  way  to  Rome  and  Spain  (Romans  15 :  22- 
25).  He  wishes  to  take  the  great  collection  for 
the  saints  there  which  he  has  been  gathering  for 
several  years  from  Galatia,  Asia,  Macedonia, 
Achaia. 

12.   Galatlans. 

We  follow  Lightfoot  in  locating  the  writing  of 
Galatians  during  this  stay  in  Corinth  the  winter 
of  A.D.  57  or  58,  or  the  preceding  autumn.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  we  do  not  know  where  Paul  was 
when  writing  the  blazing  words  in  this  great  little 
Epistle.  The  tone  of  the  letter  suits  well  between  2 
Corinthians  and  Romans.  Some  scholars  even 
make  it  the  very  earliest  of  Paul's  Epistles. 
The  matter  is  wholly  unsettled,  but  we  keep  it  here 
till  we  know  better.  We  do  not  know  whether  Paul 
by  "Galatia"  means  the  province  as  a  whole.  North 
Galatia,  or  South  Galatia.  Either  is  possible. 
The  letter  is  not  conclusive  as  to  date  or  place, 
but  is  clear  enough  as  to  the  occasion.  Judaizers 
had  come  and  had  insisted  that  these  Gentile 
Christians  must  become  Jews  in  order  to  be  saved. 
They  had  made  some  headway  to  Paul's  utter 
astonishment  (Galatians  i:  6f).  The  Judaizers 
had  represented  that  Paul  was  not  one  of  the 
twelve  and  was  therefore  without  authority,  im- 
plying that  the  twelve  agreed  with  them  against 
Paul.  This  Paul  shows  to  be  untrue.  He  was 
not  one  of  the  twelve,  but  was  of  equal  authority, 


PauVs  Gospel.  193 

and  the  twelve  agreed  with  Paul  in  the  matter  of 
Gentile  freedom  (i,  2).  Thus  Paul  shows  how 
the  very  essence  of  the  gospel  is  justification  by- 
faith,  not  by  works  of  the  law  (3,  4).  He  urged 
them  to  loyalty  to  Christ,  to  holiness  of  life,  and 
to  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  in  Christ  (5,  6).  It 
way  a  bugle  blast  of  freedom. 

13.    Romans. 

We  know  quite  clearly  that  Paul  was  still  in 
Corinth  when  he  wrote  this  the  greatest  of  his 
Epistles,  since  Phoebe  of  Cenchrese,  the  port  of 
Corinth,  bore  it  (Romans  16:  if).  He  is  about 
to  start  for  Jerusalem  (Romans  15:  25),  and 
hopes  to  come  on  to  Rome  (Romans  15:  23),  as 
he  had  often  planned  to  do,  but  had  been  hin- 
dered (Romans  i:  10-13;  15:  22).  He  claims 
them  in  his  jurisdiction  as  apostle  to  the  Gentiles 
(Romans  15 :  I5f),  and  gives  them  this  extended 
presentation  of  his  gospel  (Romans  2:  16),  be- 
cause he  has  not  been  able  to  speak  to  them  in 
person.  He  owes  a  debt  to  Greek  and  barbarian, 
the  wise  and  the  unwise,  and  is  ready  to  speak 
to  those  in  Rome  when  he  can  do  so.  Paul  lays 
down  his  thesis  that  the  gospel  is  the  power  of 
God  to  those  that  believe.  One  is  justified  by 
faith  in  Christ  who  died  for  the  sin  of  the  world. 
Both  Jew  and  Gentile  are  lost  without  Christ  and 
need  the  redemption  in  Christ.  But  the  blood  of 
Christ  not  only  saves  us,  but  it  also  binds  us  to 
holy  living.  Justification  involves  sanctification. 
The  Jews  have  in  large  measure  missed  their  op* 

13 


194  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

portunity,  which  has  passed  over  to  the  Gentiles, 
but  God's  spiritual  Israel  are  safe  in  Christ.  The 
latter  part  of  the  Epistle  is  devoted  to  practical 
aspects  of  the  Christian  life. 

14.   Back  to  Jerusalem  (Acts  20:  3—21:  16). 

It  is  now  the  spring  of  A.D.  57  or  58.  Paul 
has  won  his  fight  with  the  Judaizers  in  Achaia 
and  apparently  in  Galatia.  The  work  is  well  es- 
tablished in  Macedonia  and  Asia.  James,  Peter 
and  John  were  carrying  on  the  mission  work 
among  the  Jews.  The  west  appealed  to  Paul  with 
growing  fascination.  He  wished  to  go  to  Spain 
and  take  Rome  in  on  the  way.  In  a  word,  Paul's 
ambition  was  to  win  the  Roman  empire  to  Christ. 
It  is  now  some  fifteen  years  since  Paul  went  to 
Antioch  at  the  request  of  Barnabas.  He  has 
made  three  great  mission  tours,  strengthened  the 
churches,  and  written  great  Epistles,  but  he 
yearns  for  other  fields  where  the  gospel  has  not 
yet  been  preached  (Romans  15:  20).  During 
these  years  Paul  carried  on  also  the  greatest  con- 
troversy of  his  career  in  saving  real  Christianity 
from  the  ritualistic  legalism  of  the  Judaizers.  It 
had  been  a  long  and  hard  fight,  but  he  has  at 
last  won.  The  headquarters  of  the  Judaizers  was 
Jerusalem,  though  James  and  the  twelve  apostles 
were  on  Paul's  side.  Still,  the  Judaizers  had  a 
powerful  hold  on  the  mass  of  the  church  there, 
and,  while  he  was  away  making  converts  from  the 
Gentiles,  they  were  busy  with  all  sorts  of  stories 
about  him.    Paul  had  once  before,  some  seven  or 


PauVs  Gospel.  195 

eight  years  ago  (Acts  15),  gone  to  Jerusalem 
about  this  matter.  It  seemed  wise  now  to  go 
again  and  have  James  reaffirm  the  agreement 
concerning  Gentile  liberty  then  reached.  There 
was  serious  danger  of  a  cleavage  in  Christianity 
if  the  matter  was  not  cleared  up  once  for  all.  The 
Judaizers  had  been  able  to  confuse  the  minds  of 
many  Jewish  Christians  who  were  not  opposed  to 
Gentile  liberty.  For  several  years  Paul  had  been 
busy  with  the  collections  from  the  Gentile  Chris- 
tions  of  Achaia,  Macedonia,  Asia,  Galatia,  for  the 
poor  saints  in  Jerusalem.  Once  before  he  and 
Barnabas  had  taken  a  similar  contribution  to 
Jerusalem  from  the  Greek  church  at  Antioch,  and 
it  had  done  good  (Acts  11:  27-30).  Besides,  it 
was  part  of  the  Jerusalem  agreement  that  this 
should  be  done  (Galatians  2:  10).  Paul  has 
taken  a  great  deal  of  pains  that  the  collection 
should  be  well  managed  by  agents  of  the  churches 
(2  Corinthians  8:  16-24),  some  of  whom  went 
with  him  on  the  way  towards  Jerusalem.  He  had 
expected  to  sail  direct  to  Syria,  but  a  plot  of  Jews 
against  him  at  Corinth  led  him  to  change  his 
plans  so  that  he  went  by  Macedonia  and  picked 
up  Luke  at  Philippi,  who  was  with  Paul  now  till 
he  reached  Rome.  Passover  week  was  spent  in 
Philippi  and  then  Paul  and  his  party  made  their 
way  to  Jerusalem  by  slow  stashes,  hoping^  to  reach 
that  city  by  pentecost.  At  Troas  Paul  observed 
the  Lord's  supper  with  the  church  and  preached 
all  night  before  his  departure  next  day.  At 
Miletus  the  ship  stopped  long  enough  for  him  to 


196  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

send  to  Ephesus  for  the  elders  (bishops)  of  the 
church  to  come,  to  whom  he  delivered  a  tender 
farewell  address,  full  of  foreboding  about  wolves 
that  threatened  the  flock  there  (cf.  the  Gnostic 
heresy).  Paul  surveyed  the  work  of  his  three 
years  in  Ephesus,  and  commended  them  to  God 
in  case  he  never  saw  them  again.  Paul  was  con- 
scious that  peril  was  ahead  of  him  (bonds  and 
afflictions)  if  he  went  on  to  Jerusalem,  but  he 
felt  bound  in  the  spirit  to  go.  Duty  called  him 
and  he  must  go  on,  come  what  may.  At  Patara 
a  change  of  ships  was  made.  At  Tyre  a  band 
of  disciples  was  found  who  warned  Paul  not  to 
go  to  Jerusalem  for  trouble  was  ahead  of  him, 
but  he  went  on.  At  Csesarea  the  prophet  Agabus, 
in  dramatic  fashion,  warned  him  of  what  was  in 
store  for  him  in  Jerusalem,  but  Paul  was  not 
afraid,  and  went  on  over  the  protest  of  Luke  and 
the  rest  who  surrendered  to  the  will  of  the  Lord. 
So  at  last  Paul  drew  near  to  Jerusalem  once  more. 
He  had  found  a  friend  who  was  to  be  his  host  in 
Jerusalem,  one  of  the  early  disciples,  Mnason 
of  Cyprus.  What  will  Jerusalem  do  for  Paul 
now  ?  The  city  has  been  a  tragic  experience  for 
him  in  the  past. 


PauVs  Gospel.  197 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 


1.  Pattl's  fellow- workers. 

2.  Apollos. 

3.  Disciples  of  John  the  Baptist. 

4.  Ephesus. 

5.  Pagan  superstition. 

6.  The  worship  of  Diana. 

7.  Christianity  and  evil  business. 

8.  Problems  at  Corinth. 

9.  First  Corinthians. 

10.  Second  Corinthians. 

11.  Galatians. 

12.  Romans. 

13.  Paul's  theology. 

14.  The  great  collection  for  the  poor  at  Jeru- 
salem. 

15.  Paul's  plans  for  the  future. 

16.  Paul's  purpo-se  in  going  to  Jerusalem. 


CHAPTER  XBL 


PAUL'S  LONG  IMPRISONMENT. 


Paul  was  ready  for  any  fate,  but  he  little  knew 
what  the  years  were  to  bring  him  because  of  this 
trip  to  Jerusalem.  One  of  the  blessings  of  life  is 
just  this  ignorance  of  the  future.  As  it  turned 
out,  Paul's  active  ministry  is  practically  at  an  end 
when  he  reaches  Jerusalem  by  pentecost  A.D.  57 
or  58.  It  will  be  at  least  five  years  before  he  is 
released  from  the  charges  against  him.  Some 
even  think  that  he  was  never  set  free  till  his 
death. 

1.    Reception  at  Jerusalem  (Acts  21:  17-2aa). 

The  welcome  by  the  leading  brethren  was 
hearty  enough.  It  had  been  some  eight  years 
since  the  great  conference  when  Paul  had  won 
such  a  triumph.  Now  he  has  come  back  rich  with 
the  fruit  of  that  policy.  On  the  next  day  Paul 
with  his  party  (Luke  and  Trophimus  were  still 
with  him,  if  not  Aristarchus)  made  a  formal  call 
upon  James  as  the  head  of  the  church  in  Jeru- 
salem. All  the  elders  were  present.  It  was  prob- 
ably on  this  occasion  that  the  collection  was 
turned  over  to  James,  though  no  mention  is  made 
of  it  till  later  (24 :  17).    Paul  had  a  long  story  to 

(198) 


PauVs  Long  Imprisonment.  199 

tell  of  his  work.  He  took  his  time  and  went  over 
the  chief  items  "one  by  one."  The  story  made 
a  great  impression  and  they  glorified  God. 

2.  A  Proposal  for  Relieving  Misapprehension  (Ac?ts 
21:  20b-26). 
It  may  have  been  James  or  some  other  brother 
who  made  the  suggestion.  Luke  says  "they"  and 
it  was  probably  the  result  of  previous  conference 
on  the  part  of  Paul's  friends  in  Jerusalem  who 
wished  to  put  an  end  to  the  power  of  the  Judaizers 
over  the  Jerusalem  church  concerning  Paul. 
During  Paul's  absence  the  Judaizers  had  dili- 
gently circulated  the  report  that  Paul  taught  that 
Jewish  Christians  must  forsake  the  customs  of 
their  fathers  and  live  like  the  Gentiles.  This,  of 
course,  was  an  utter  perversion  of  the  facts.  Paul 
had  won  the  fight  for  Gentile  freedom  from  the 
Jewish  ceremonial  law,  but  had  not  urged  Jewish 
Christians  to  give  up  their  Jewish  customs.  He 
had  himself  kept  up  the  Jewish  ceremonial  ob- 
servances and  was  here  now  at  the  feast  of  pente- 
cost.  Paul  had  not  said  that  a  Jew  must  keep  up 
the  Jewish  observances.  He  had  plead  for  liberty, 
for  instance,  on  the  subject  of  the  Sabbath  or 
the  Lord's  day  (Sunday)  as  the  day  of  worship 
for  Christians  (Romans  14:  sf).  The  suggestion 
of  the  brethren,  in  brief,  is  that  Paul  pay  the 
charges  for  the  sacrifices  of  four  men  who  have 
a  vow,  purifying  himself  and  them  in  the  temple, 
so  that  Paul  may  be  seen  at  worship  in  the  tem- 
ple.   With  Paul  Jesus  is  the  one  great  sacrifice 


200  studies  in  the  Neto  Testament. 

for  sin.  All  else  was  typical,  but  he  had  no  ob- 
jection to  the  proposal  as  it  would  undoubtedly 
refute  the  false  report  about  him.  So  he  did  it 
and  was  seen  in  the  temple  doing  this  act  of  wor- 
ship. The  Jewish  Christians  were  probably 
wholly  satisfied  and  the  plan  was  successful  in 
its  object. 

3.  The  Assault  from  the  Jews  of  Asia  (Acts  21:  27 — 

22:   29). 

But  Paul  had  other  enemies  besides  the  Ju- 
daizers.  It  so  happened  that  some  Jews  from 
Ephesus,  who  knew  and  hated  Paul,  were  here  at 
the  feast  of  pentecost.  These  men  happened  to 
see  Paul  one  day  in  the  temple  towards  the  close 
of  the  seven  days  which  Paul  had  taken  with  the 
four  men  for  the  purification.  They  may  or  may 
not  have  known  what  Paul  was  doing,  but  at  any 
rate,  while  in  the  very  act  of  doing  honor  to  the 
temple  and  the  Jewish  observances,  Paul  was  set 
upon  by  these  Jews  of  Ephesus  as  a  profaner  of 
the  temple  and  an  enemy  of  the  law  of  Moses 
and  the  Jewish  people.  They  made  a  specific 
accusation  that  Paul  had  brought  Greeks  into  the 
Jewish  part  of  the  temple.  They  had  seen  Paul 
walking  with  Trophimus,  a  Greek  Christian  of 
Ephesus,  one  day  in  Jerusalem.  Hence,  they  in- 
ferred that  Paul  had  brought  Trophimus  and 
other  Greeks  into  the  temple  beyond  the  court  of 
the  Gentiles.  This  false  charge  was  all  that  was 
needed  to  give  the  pent-up  hatred  of  the  Jews  of 
Jerusalem  a  chance  to  vent  itself  against  Paul, 


PauVa  Long  Imprisomnent.  201 

whom  they  regarded  as  a  turncoat  and  a  traitor 
to  the  faith  of  his  fathers.  It  will  take  five  years 
to  clear  away  the  misconceptions  of  this  moment 
of  hate  and  spite.  The  story  is  told  by  Luke  with 
graphic  power.  The  city  is  soon  in  an  uproar 
and  Paul  is  dragged  out  of  the  temple  and  the 
doors  shut.  The  fate  of  Stephen  would  soon  have 
been  Paul's  if  the  chief  captain  had  not  rushed 
out  of  the  tower  of  Antonia  with  soldiers  to  the 
rescue.  The  scene  reminds  one  of  the  mob  be- 
fore Pilate's  hall  1  which  cried  out  for  the  cruci- 
fixion of  Jesus.  The  chief  captain  was  greatly 
puzzled  about  what  to  make  of  Paul.  He  had  him 
bound  with  two  chains,  thought  him  the  Egyptian 
assassin,  was  astonished  that  Paul  could  speak 
Greek,  and  allowed  him  to  stand  on  the  steps  and 
speak  in  Aramaic  to  the  mob  that  clamored  for 
his  blood.  The  chief  captain  was  all  the  more 
amazed  when  all  of  a  sudden  the  crowd  at  the 
word  "Gentiles"  flew  into  a  frenzy  of  rage  and 
was  about  to  scourge  Paul  when  he  claimed  Ro- 
man citizenship  as  a  defense.  Paul,  by  the  help  of 
the  chief  captain,  had  barely  escaped  so  far  with 
his  life. 

4.  Paul  Before  the  Sanhedrin  (Acts  22:  30—23:  10). 
Paul  had  been  before  the  Sanhedrin  often  over 
twenty  years  ago  with  the  Christians  as  culprits 
and  may,  indeed,  have  once  been  a  member,  but 
now  he  is  on  trial  himself  before  this  august  body 
of  his  countrymen.  He  was  here  at  the  command 
of  the  chief  captain  who  hoped  that  the  Sanhe- 


202  studies  in  the  Neto  Testament, 

drin  could  disclose  precisely  what  sort  of  a  crim- 
inal Paul  was,  for  he  himself  did  not  know.  So 
then  Paul  was  brought  before  the  Sanhedrin 
without  any  specific  charge  (cf.  the  trial  of  Je- 
sus). Paul  was  not  a  stranger  to  most  of  these 
men.  Luke  represents  Paul  as  "looking  stead- 
fastly on  the  council,"  perhaps  to  see  if  he  could 
find  a  friendly  face  in  the  number.  At  any  rate, 
he  ventured  a  general  remark  by  way  of  defense 
for  his  whole  career  up  till  now,  including  his 
change  from  Judaism  to  Christianity.  The  in- 
tensity of  the  feeling  in  the  Sanhedrin  towards 
Paul  now  finds  expression  after  these  years  of 
hate.  The  high  priest  Ananias  promptly  ordered 
a  by-stander  to  smite  Paul  on  the  mouth.  In- 
stantly Paul's  apologetic  tone  changed  to  sharp 
indignation  and  he  gave  vent  to  his  wrath  against 
Ananias.  The  apology  of  Paul  for  speaking  thus 
against  the  high  priest  naturally  means  that  for 
the  moment  he  was  so  angry  that  he  did  not  con- 
sider against  whom  he  was  speaking.  But  clearly 
now  Paul  has  no  chance  at  all  before  this  preju- 
diced body.  They  are  as  hostile  as  the  mob  the 
day  before.  His  tactics  in  dividing  the  council  by 
claiming  to  be  a  Pharisee  have  been  criticized  on 
the  ground  that  Paul  was  not  now  a  Pharisee.  He 
was  not  a  Pharisee  only  or  wholly,  but  as  between 
Pharisee  and  Sadducee  he  was  a  Pharisee.  "As 
touching  the  law,  a  Pharisee"  (Philippians  3:5) 
he  was  once  a  persecutor  like  these  men,  but  that 
he  is  no  longer.  But  this  council  is  bent  on  Paul's 
death  and  he  set  them  by  the  ears  against  each 


Paul's  Long  Imprisonmnent.  203 

other  so  as  to  save  his  own  life.  His  ruse  of  war 
was  so  successful  that  they  might  easily  have 
trampled  him  to  death  in  order  to  get  at  each 
other.  Once  more  the  chief  captain  had  to  rescue 
Paul  by  his  soldiers  from  the  rage  of  the  Jews, 
this  time  from  the  Sanhedrin  itself.  The  chief 
captain  was  more  puzzled  than  ever. 

5.  The  Lord's  Message  to  Paul  (Acts  23:  11). 

If  ever  Paul  needed  a  cheering  word  from  the 
Lord  Jesus,  it  was  now  when  there  seemed  no 
open  way  before  him.  Once  before  in  Jeru- 
salem in  a  trance  in  the  temple  he  had  a  vision 
of  Jesus  who  bade  him  leave  for  Tarsus  since 
the  Jews  were  bent  upon  his  death.  That  was 
some  twenty  years  ago  and  Paul  has  had  many 
tokens  of  Christ's  favor  during  these  years.  In 
a  crisis  at  Corinth  the  Lord  Jesus  had  appearecf 
to  him  also.  Now  on  the  night  after  this  experi- 
ence before  the  Sanhedrin  Jesus  told  him  to  be 
of  good  cheer  since  he  must  bear  witness  also  at 
Rome.  So  then  he  would  get  away  from  Jeru- 
salem and  go  to  Rome  after  all,  though  when  and 
how  was  not  made  clear. 

6.  Rescue  from  the  Conspirators  (Acts  23:  12-33). 

Paul's  cunning  with  the  Sanhedrin  made  some 
of  the  Jews  desperate  and  determined  to  get  him 
killed  in  one  way  or  another.  It  seems  as  if  some 
members  of  the  council  were  parties  to  the  con- 
spiracy and  it  might  have  succeeded  but  for  the 
keen  wit  of  Paul's  sister's  son,  who,  with  a  boy's 


204  studies  in  the  Uew  Testament. 

knowingness  got  wind  of  it  and  told  Paul.  By 
the  skill  of  the  youth,  of  Paul,  of  the  centurion, 
and  of  the  chief  captain  the  conspirators  were  out- 
witted, but  it  required  two  hundred  soldiers  and 
seventy  horsemen  under  cover  of  night  to  do  it. 
So  rabid  was  the  hate  towards  Paul.  One  won- 
ders if  the  forty  conspirators  kept  their  vow  not 
to  eat.  The  letter  of  Claudius  Lysias,  the  chief 
captain,  to  Felix,  the  procurator  at  Caesarea,  put 
the  best  possible  face  on  affairs  for  the  chief  cap- 
tain, and  even  claimed  that  he  had  rescued  Paul 
from  the  mob  because  he  heard  that  he  was  a 
Roman !  He  did  not  explain  what  the  charges 
against  Paul  were  save  "questions  of  their  law," 
and  the  Jewish  accusers  would  come.  So  Paul 
was  presented  before  Felix. 

7.    Paul  Before  Felix  (Acts  23:  34r-24:  27). 

Paul  had  been  before  Roman  magistrates  be- 
fore at  Philippi,  Thessalonica,  Corinth,  but  Felix 
was  not  Gallio  ("sweet  Gallio,"  he  was  called). 
Felix  was  more  like  Pilate  with  trickiness,  inde- 
cision, corruption,  love  of  money,  and  fear  of  the 
Jews.  He  started  off,  however,  well  enough. 
Paul's  accusers  turned  out  to  be,  not  the  Jews 
from  Asia,  who  began  the  trouble,  but  the  high 
priest  Ananias  with  certain  elders  (a  committee 
from  the  Sanhedrin),  with  a  hired  Roman  lawyer, 
Tertullus.  So  now  Paul  has  to  face  a  real  trial, 
with  the  machinery  of  the  law  at  work  against 
him.  Tertullus'  first  charge  was  vague,  but  he 
made  two  specific  charges,  one  that  Paul  was  ^ 


PauVs  Tjong  Imprisonment.  205 

member  of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes,  the  other 
that  he  had  profaned  the  Jewish  temple.  Paul 
had  to  conduct  his  own  case,  and  he  did  it  with 
consummate  ability.  He  denied  the  charge  about 
the  temple  and  disproved  it  easily  and  challenged 
the  committee  from  the  Sanhedrin  to  tell  the 
crime  of  which  they  found  him  guilty  (not 
raillery).  But  Paul  confessed  to  being  a  Chris- 
tian and  claimed  that  this  was  the  true  Judaism, 
the  hope  of  the  fathers  (cf.  Romans  9-11).  The 
relation  of  Christianity  to  Roman  law  had  been 
settled  by  Gallio  for  the  time  being  as  a  form  of 
Judaism,  and  so  legal.  Felix  may  have  known 
of  this  decision.  At  any  rate,  he  postponed  his 
decision,  not  because  he  was  not  clear,  but  be- 
cause he  did  not  wish  to  offend  the  Jewish  leaders. 
Paul  had  won  his  case  if  he  could  only  get  a  deci- 
sion. The  sermon  of  Paul  before  Felix  and  Dru- 
silla,  under  the  circumstances,  was  extremely 
brave  and  daring,  for  Felix  still  had  Paul's  case 
under  consideration.  But  Felix  was  for  the 
moment  terrified  by  the  power  of  Paul's  discourse, 
and  then  relapsed  into  his  love  of  greed  since  Paul 
spoke  of  taking  money  to  Jerusalem.  So  two 
years  went  by  with  Paul  a  prisoner  in  Csesarea, 
two  years  of  great  opportunity.  Luke  was  with 
Paul  and  probably  used  this  period  for  the  writ- 
mg  of  his  Gospel  while  he  was  near  the  sources 
of  information.  When  Felix  was  finally  recalled, 
he  left  Paul  a  prisoner  for  fear  that  the  Jews 
might  also  make  charges  to  Rome  against  him- 
self 


206  studies  in  the  "New  Testament, 

8.    Paul  Before  Festus  (Acts  25-26). 

Unfortunately  we  do  not  know  precisely  the 
year  when  this  change  of  procurators  took  place. 
The  estimates  run  all  the  way  from  A.D.  56-60. 
Probably  59  is  not  far  from  the  truth.  But,  what- 
ever date  we  assign  to  it,  we  must  regulate  the 
other  dates  in  proportion  to  it.  Festus  came  with 
a  better  reputation  than  Felix  and  made  a  show 
of  fairness  to  Paul  in  refusing  to  take  him  to 
Jerusalem  to  be  convicted  by  the  Sanhedrin.  But, 
when  the  Jews  made  their  charges  before  him  in 
Csesarea,  he  quickly  showed  the  same  weakness 
and  desire  to  please  them  that  Felix  had  done, 
and  even  asked  Paul  if  he  was  willing  to  go  back 
to  Jerusalem  to  be  judged  before  Festus  at  the 
hom.e  of  the  very  men  who  had  made  the  -charges 
against  him !  This  change  of  venire  would  have 
been  extremely  prejudicial  to  Paul's  case.  If 
Festus  had  no  courage  in  Csesarea,  what  would 
he  have  in  Jerusalem?  There  was  only  one 
course  left  for  Paul  after  these  years  of  delay, 
and  with  this  proof  of  the  character  of  Festus, 
the  new  procurator.  That  hope  lay  in  the  exer- 
cise of  Paul's  rights  as  a  Roman  citizen  in  ap- 
pealing to  Csesar.  Festus  had  to  allow  this  ap- 
peal when  asked  for.  The  boldness  of  Paul  placed 
Festus  at  a  disadvantage,  for  he  did  not  even  have 
a  specific  charge  to  present  to  Caesar,  and  to  send 
up  a  prisoner  with  no  charge  was  a  real  reflection 
upon  Festus  as  a  provincial  governor.  So  he  took 
advantage  of  the  presence  of  Herod  Agrippa  II 
and  his  sister  Bernice  to  amuse  them  and  also  to 


PauVs  Long  Imprisonment  207 

use  their  knowledge  of  Jewish  customs  to  see 
what  charge  he  could  send  to  Caesar.  Festus  even 
implied  that,  if  Paul  had  not  appealed  to  Caesar, 
he  would  himself  have  set  him  free,  since  he 
found  no  fault  in  him  (the  conduct  of  Pilate  over 
again).  Paul  seemed  to  be  perfectly  aware  of 
his  environment  when  he  addressed  the  pompous 
assembly  over  which  Agrippa  presided.  He  knew 
that  no  change  could  come  to  the  status  of  his  own 
case.  He  spoke  out  of  hope  of  getting  the  good- 
will of  Agrippa,  who  had  influence  at  Rome,  but 
in  particular  with  the  hope  of  winning  Agrippa 
to  Christ.  This  address  covers  the  same  ground 
as  that  made  to  the  mob  from  the  stairs  of  the 
castle.  There  he  was  making  a  justification  of 
his  course  in  becoming  a  Christian  and  apostle 
to  the  Gentiles,  but  here  Paul  used  his  own  story 
as  a  skillful  way  of  showing  Agrippa  how  the 
crucified  and  risen  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  of  the 
Jews  prophesied  in  the  Old  Testament.  Festus 
did  not  see  the  drift  of  Paul's  powerful  appeal, 
but  Agrippa  did,  and  refused  to  be  caught  in  a 
short  turn  like  that.  Agrippa  was  too  much  of  a 
politician  and  too  big  a  sinner  (living  in  sin  with 
Bernice)  to  turn  Christian.  So  he  waved  Paul's 
speech  aside  with  a  compliment  and  the  expres- 
sion of  his  innocence.  Festus  had  learned  noth- 
ing.   We  do  not  know  what  charges  were  sent. 

9.   The  Voyage  and  Shipwreck  (Acts  27). 

Paul  was  doubtless  glad  to  leave  Caesarea,  for 
he  had  had  enough  of  Roman  provincial  "justice." 


(206) 


PauVs  Lang  Imprisomnent.  209 

Luke  and  Aristarchus  went  with  him  as  friends, 
or  possibly  as  nominal  servants  of  Paul.  The  ship 
was  not  going  to  Rome,  but  one  could  be  found 
on  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor  to  which  the  prisoners 
could  be  transferred.  This  ship  was  bound  for 
Adramyttium,  near  Troas.  It  was  a  freight 
ship  and  carried  a  band  of  soldiers  back  to  Italy 
(the  Augustan  cohort),  besides  many  prisoners. 
Paul  was  just  one  among  many  other  prisoners. 
The  centurion  of  the  Augustan  band,  Julius,  was 
a  kindly  man,  as  was  often  the  case  with  Roman 
officers,  and  was  gracious  to  Paul.  The  wind 
soon  gave  trouble  and  the  vessel  slipped  to  the 
lee  (right)  of  Cyprus,  and  hugged  the  coast  of 
Pamphylia  till  Myra,  in  Lycia,  was  reached. 
Here  the  centurion  found  a  grain  ship  of  Alex- 
andria bound  for  Rome  that  had  probably  come 
this  far  out  of  its  course  because  of  the  strong 
northwest  wind  which  made  a  zig-zag  course 
(tacking)  necessary.  A  glance  at  the  map  will 
show  that  the  ship  at  Cnidus  confronted  the  wind 
and  must  either  go  north  or  south.  The  island 
of  Crete  offered  a  refuge  till  the  wind  changed 
and  was  more  in  line  for  Rome.  With  great  diffi- 
culty Fair  Havens  was  reached,  but  evidently  the 
wind  blew  a  long  time  ("much  time")  till  it  was 
now  too  late  in  the  season  to  risk  the  voyage  to 
Rome.  It  was  now  past  the  fast  (day  of  atone- 
ment, about  October  i),  and  seamen,  without 
chart  or  compass  as  they  were,  feared  to  set  sail 
over  the  Mediterranean.  The  time  of  storms  had 
come.    The  master  and  owner  of  the  ship  planned 

14 


210  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

only  to  go  to  Phoenix,  farther  along  in  Crete, 
where  was  a  better  harbor  with  shelter  from  the 
winter  storms.  But  Paul  ventured  to  protest 
against  even  this  experiment,  but  the  centurion 
brushed  his  advice  aside.  A  sudden  change  of 
wind  from  the  south  gave  the  chance  and  they 
laughed  at  Paul's  prophecy  of  disaster.  But  he 
laughs  best  who  laughs  last.  The  wind  changed 
again,  whipping  round  to  east  by  northeast  with 
a  sudden  snap.  It  "beat  down  from"  Crete  upon 
the  ship  and  instantly  it  was  a  question  of  life 
and  death.  Luke  gives  in  detail  and  with  pre- 
cision the  steps  taken  by  which  the  lives  of  all 
were  saved  in  the  most  remarkable  record  of  a 
shipwreck  in  existence  and  the  most  imposing  ac- 
count of  ancient  ships.  Left  alone,  the  ship 
v/ould  have  been  driven  on  the  Syrtis  or  quick-* 
sands,  off  the  coast  of  North  Africa.  That  would 
be  certain  death.  The  plan  pursued  was  to  sail 
as  close  to  the  wind  as  possible  (within  seven 
points),  undergird  the  ship,  lower  the  sail,  haul 
on  board  the  little  boat  (life-boat),  and  then 
drift  before  the  wind.  This  was  done  quickly 
under  the  lee  of  a  little  island  named  Cauda. 
Soon  the  ship  had  to  be  lightened  of  part  of  its 
tacking.  The  days  and  nights  were  black  alike 
and  despair  came  to  all  but  Paul,  who  spoke  again. 
This  time  he  told  of  an  angel  of  God  who  had 
promised  to  him  the  lives  of  all,  though  the  ship 
would  be  lost.  On  the  fourteenth  day  the  sound 
of  breakers  revealed  the  nearness  of  land.  Paul 
again  came  to  the  rescue  against  the  trickery  of 


PauVs  Long  Imprisonment.  211 

the  sailors  and  really  acted  as  the  master  of  cere- 
monies as  the  ship  hung  by,  anchored  and  await- 
ing its  doom.  At  the  last  the  prisoners  all  owed 
their  lives  to  Paul.  The  story  is  wonderful  from 
every  standpoint. 

10.  Melita  (Acts  28:  1-10). 

The  land  proved  to  be  the  island  of  Melita 
(Malta)  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Sea  of  Adria, 
which  was  given  a  wider  range  of  application 
than  is  now  true.  It  was  a  narrow  escape  for  all, 
and  Paul  claimed  pointedly  that  God  had  spared 
them  because  of  his  prayers.  So  Paul  was  to 
spend  the  winter  in  this  island  with  the  bar- 
barians, who  v/ere  ready  to  listen  to  him  because 
he  had  not  fallen  down  dead  when  the  viper  bit 
him.  There  are  now  no  snakes  in  the  island. 
Luke  evidently  practiced  hiL  skill  as  physician 
upon  the  people  besides  the  miracles  wrought  by 
Paul.  The  result  was  a  work  of  grace  that 
blessed  the  island. 

11.  Going  to  Rome  at  Last  (Acts  28:  11-15). 
Many  ships  had  evidently  been  caught  by  the 

same  storm,  one  of  which  had  wintered  at  Melita. 
It  also  was  a  grain  ship  bound  for  Rome  from 
Alexandria.  Egypt  was  the  granary  of  Rome. 
As  soon  as  spring  weather  (probably  A.D.  6o) 
allowed  it,  this  ship,  the  Castor  and  Pollux 
(Twins),  was  ready  to  sail,  and  JuUus  placed 
his  prisoners  on  board.  They  were  landed  at 
Puteoli   after   passing    Syracuse    in    Sicily   and 


212  studies  in  the  'New  Testament. 

Rhegiumi.  Paul  seems  to  have  been  able  to 
send  word  to  Rome  of  the  ship's  arrival,  for 
before  reaching  the  city  he  was  met  at  Appii 
Forum  and  Three  Taverns  by  brethren  who  came 
to  greet  him.  The  wonderful  Appian  Way  that 
led  to  Rome  is  still  in  use  and  it  is  still  possible 
to  walk  upon  some  of  the  very  stones  upon  which 
Paul  trode  as  he  went  into  Rome.  So  here  at 
last  Paul  fulfilled  one  of  the  ambitions  of  his  life. 
He  had  come  to  Rome.  He  came  as  a  prisoner 
for  Christ,  but  Paul  knew  that  he  had  what  would 
make  him  superior  to  Nero,  the  emperor.  The 
ruins  of  imperial  Rome  still  visible  show  some- 
thing of  the  splendor  of  this  Babylon  of  the  west. 
Paul  was  not  insensible  to  his  surroundings. 
What  is  before  him  in  Rome  he  does  not  know. 

12.   Two  Years  In  Rome  (Acts  28:  16-31). 

Paul  was  turned  over  to  the  chief  of  the  camp 
(prefect,  possibly  Burrhus),  and  was  allowed  the 
privilege  of  his  own  hired  house,  but  was  always 
chained  to  a  soldier.  He  sought  to  win  the  friend- 
ship of  the  Jews  in  Rome  and  to  lead  them  to 
Christ.  But  a  whole  day  of  discourse  brought 
meager  results.  Christianity  was  now  coming  to 
be  taboo  with  the  Jews.  But  no  charges  had 
yet  come  against  Paul  himself.  We  do  not  know 
whether  they  ever  came  or  whether  any  accusers 
came.  The  Jews  had  access  to  Nero  through 
Poppsea,  but  Nero  was  in  no  hurry  to  bother  him- 
self with  the  case  of  a  Jew  from  one  of  the 
provinces.     So  the  years  go  by,  with  Paul  free 


PauVs  Lang  Imprisonment.  213 

to  see  his  friends  and  to  work  for  Christ  in  the 
camp.  Luke  probably  wrote  the  Acts  during 
these  years.  Friends  come  and  go,  but  Paul's 
trial  does  not  come  off. 

13.    Phiiippians. 

The  natural  meaning  of  Caesar's  household 
(PhiHppians  4:  22)  is  that  Paul  is  in  Rome.  The 
use  of  praetorian  guard  (Phiiippians  i:  13)  im- 
plies the  same  thing,  though  the  expression  dcres 
not  have  to  mean  place  (camp).  Some  scholars 
argue  for  Ephesus  as  the  place  where  Paul  wrote 
this  beautiful  letter,  but  Rome  is  far  more  likely. 
It  is  not  certain  whether  Phiiippians  was  written 
before  or  after  Philemon,  Colossians  and  Ephe- 
sians,  probably  before.  In  both  Philemon  and 
Phiiippians,  Paul  is  expecting  to  be  set  free. 
Probably  these  Epistles  come  towards  the  close  of 
his  imprisonment  in  Rome.  Luke  seems  to  have 
been  absent,  though  Timothy  was  present,  when 
Paul  wrote  Phiiippians  (2:  iQf).  Epaphroditus 
had  come  from  Philippi  with  gifts  from  the 
church  for  Paul  (Phiiippians  4:  10-19),  had 
gotten  sick  in  Rome,  much  to  the  distress  of  the 
Phiiippians  (Phiiippians  2:  26-30),  and  was  now 
returning  to  Philippi  (Phiiippians  2:  25),  and 
would  bear  the  letter.  Though  a  prisoner  still, 
Paul  i-s  full  of  joy  and  urges  the  Phiiippians  to 
rejoice  in  Christ.  Indeed,  joy  in  Christ  is  the 
keynote  of  the  Epistle.  Two  of  the  greatest  pas- 
sages in  Paul's  intepretation  of  Christ  occur  in 
this  short  letter  (Phiiippians  2:  5-1 1;  3:  8-14). 


214  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

Christ  is  Paul's  passion,  is  his  very  life  (Philip- 
pians  i:  21),  and  he  has  learned  the  secret  of 
happiness  and  peace  (Philippians  4). 

14.  Philemon. 

Philemon,  Colossians  and  Ephesians  were  sent 
at  the  same  time  by  Onesimus  (Philemon  10,  13; 
Colossians  4 :  9)  and  Tychicus  (Colossians  4 :  7f )  ; 
Ephesians  6 :  2if ).  Paul  is  a  prisoner  (Ephesians 
3:  i),  but  is  hopeful  of  release  (Philemon  22). 
Some  'scholars  argue  for  Ephesus  as  the  place  cf 
writing,  but  the  weight  of  evidence  is  still  for 
Rome.  Philemon  is  a  personal  note  sent  along 
with  Onesimus,  a  converted  slave,  who  is  return- 
ing to  his  master,  Philemon  of  Colossae,  from 
whom  he  ran  away.  In  sending  him  back  Paul 
asked  that  he  be  treated  as  a  brother  in  Christ, 
and  his  words  of  love  have  helped  put  an  end  to 
slavery. 

15.  Colossians. 

Colossas  was  a  flourishing  city  in  the  Lycus 
Valley  in  the  province  of  Asia  and  was  evangel- 
ized indirectly  as  a  result  of  Paul's  work  in 
Ephesus,  though  Paul  himself  seems  not  to 
have  gone  there  (Colossians  i:  3-8;  2:  i). 
Epaphras  has  come  from  Colossae  to  Rome 
(Colossians  i:  7;  4:  12)  with  news  of  a  new 
heresy  that  has  come  to  trouble  the  churches. 
Paul  had  premonitions  of  these  wolves  after  the 
sheep  when  he  was  in  Miletus  last  (Acts  20: 
29).    Gnostics,  with  a  mixture  of  Greek  and  Per- 


PauVs  Long  Imprisonment.  215 

sian  philosophy  and  Essenism  and  a  touch  of  the 
mystery  religions  with  their  ritual  of  redeemer- 
gods,  had  come  into  contact  with  Christianity, 
absorbing  some  of  it  also.  These  Gnostics  (the 
knowing  ones)  had  a  theory  that  matter  was  all 
evil  and  God  as  pure  and  good  spirit  could  not 
have  created  it.  Hence,  they  taught  a  series  of 
seons  or  emanations  between  God  and  matter. 
Jesus  they  treated  as  one  of  these  subordinate 
seons  and  thus  the  person  of  Christ  became  a  very 
acute  issue.  In  reply  Paul  vigorously  asserted 
the  leadership  of  Christ  in  the  universe  and  the 
deity  of  Jesus  Christ.  Hence,  Christ  is  Head  of 
the  universe  (physical  and  spiritual) .  Some  of  the 
Gnostics  (Cerinthian)  said  that  the  Christ  was  an 
aeon  that  came  down  on  the  man  Jesus  at  his  bap- 
tism and  left  before  his  death.  Paul  insisted  on  the 
identity  of  Jesus  Christ.  Some  of  the  Gnostics 
(Docetic)  held  that  Jesus  was  not  a  real  man, 
but  was  all  aeon  and  had  no  real  humanity.  Paul 
replied  that  all  the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily  in  Christ 
and  that  we  are  saved  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  Je- 
sus is  both  God  and  man.  Some  of  the  Gnostics 
were  ascetic  and  some  were  licentious  in  life.  So 
Paul  urged  real  piety  in  soul  and  body. 

16.    Ephesians. 

It  is  clear  that  this  Epistle  was  a  general  letter 
to  several  churches  and  was  not  addressed  pri- 
marily to  the  church  at  Ephesus.  The  two  oldest 
manuscripts  have  no  name  for  the  Epistle.  In 
Colossians  4:  I5f,    Paul    sent    greetings  to  the 


216  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

church  in  Laodicea  and  urged  exchange  of  letters. 
Marcion  called  our  **Ephesians"  this  letter  to  the 
Laodiceans  and  that  is  probably  true.  Though 
Paul  was  three  years  in  Ephesus,  no  personal  de- 
tails occur,  except  mention  of  Tychicus,  though 
Colossians  4:  7-17  is  full  of  them  (Aristarchus, 
Mark,  Luke,  etc.).  But  a  copy  was  preserved  at 
Ephesus.  In  this  Epistle  the  same  general  ground 
is  covered  as  in  Colossians,  save  that  in  Ephesians 
the  emphasis  is  on  the  body  of  Christ  (the  Head 
of  the  church).  The  first  three  chapters  are  rich 
in  the  doctrine  of  grace  and  as  profound  as  any- 
thing we  have  from  Paul.  The  other  chapters  are 
full  of  ethical  duties  and  marriage  is  glorified  as 
being  like  the  union  of  Christ  and  his  church  (his 
body).  The  Epistle  closes  with  a  picture  of  Ro- 
man armor  (seen  daily  by  Paul  on  the  soldiers) 
as  a  symbol  of  various  Christian  virtues. 


PauVs  Long  Imprisonment.  217 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 


1.  James  and  the  elders. 

2.  Jewish  hate  of  Paul. 

3.  Paul  and  the  Sanhedrin. 

4.  Paul's  visions  of  Jesus. 

5.  The  conspiracy. 

6.  Felix  and  his  treatment  of  Pa^V 

7.  Festus  and  Paul. 

8.  Herod  Agrippa  II. 

9.  Paul's  speeches  in  Acts. 

10.  The  appeal  to  Caesar. 

11.  The  voyage  and  shipwreck, 

12.  Melita. 

13.  Paul's  life  in  Rome. 

14.  Philippians. 

15.  Philemon. 

16.  Gnosticism. 

17.  Colossians. 

18.  Ephesians. 

19.  Laodicea. 


CHAPTER  Xra. 


LAST  YEARS  OF  PAUL. 


1.    Obscurity. 

The  book  of  Acts  closes  with  Paul  still  a 
prisoner,  probably  because  the  book  was  com- 
pleted at  this  stage.  Hence,  we  can  only  con- 
jecture the  course  of  events  from  this  on  except 
the  few  details  in  the  Pastoral  Epistles  and  in  the 
early  Christian  writers.  Some  critics  reject  the 
Pastoral  Epistles  in  whole  and  some  in  part.  Some 
few  who  accept  them  place  them  before  this  Ro- 
man visit  of  Paul.  The  date  of  the  death  of  Paul 
is  another  problem.  Some  ground  exists  for 
thinking  that  Paul  was  put  to  death  with  Peter 
about  A.D.  64  in  connection  with  the  persecu- 
tion by  Nero  after  the  burning  of  Rome.  In 
that  case  Paul  was  not  set  free  from  the  long 
imprisonment  except  by  death.  Bul,  on  the  whole, 
the  preponderance  of  evidence  is  in  favor  of  the 
genuineness  of  the  Pastoral  Epistles  and  to  the 
effect  that  Paul  was  set  free.  We  follow,  there- 
fore, the  probable  order  of  events  for  these  clos- 
ing years  without  being  too  dogmatic  about  the 
matter, 

(218) 


Last  Years  of  Paid.  219 

2.   The  Trial. 

In  simple  truth,  it  is  not  clear  that  Paul's  case 
ever  came  to  trial.  The  Jews  from  Asia,  who 
raised  the  disturbance,  vanished.  The  Sanhedrin 
took  the  case  up  and  pressed  it  for  two  years  be- 
fore Felix  and  Festus  and  Agrippa,  but  could 
never  make  a  case  against  Paul  before  Roman 
law,  so  that  Festus  was  at  a  loss  for  a  charge  when 
Paul  appealed  to  Rome,  and  even  Herod  Agrippa, 
the  Jew,  could  see  no  wrong  in  him.  We  do  not 
know  what  charge  Festus  sent  to  Rome  against 
Paul,  or  whether  his  letter  ever  came  because  of 
the  shipwreck.  The  Sanhedrin  may  not  have 
pushed  the  matter  in  Rome.  Nero,  like  Tiberius 
before  him,  was  proverbially  dilatory  with  provin- 
cial cases.  Even  so,  it  is  doubtful  if  Nero  himself 
heard  Paul  this  time.  After  the  several  years  of 
waiting  in  vain  for  Paul's  accusers  to  come,  it  is 
probable  that  the  case  was  simply  dismissed  and 
Paul  set  free  again. 

3.    Back  In  Asia. 

Paul's  plan  when  in  Corinth  had  been  to  go 
from  Rome  to  Spain,  but  that  was  some  five  or 
six  years  ago  and  meanwhile  fresh  problems  had 
arisen  in  the  east  that  called  Paul  in  that  direc- 
tion. When  he  wrote  to  the  Philippians  ( i :  26) 
and  to  Philemon  {22),  he  was  expecting  to  come 
to  see  them  soon.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that 
Paul  went  back  to  his  old  haunts  to  follow  up  the 
teachings  of  his  recent  letters  about  Gnosticism. 
If  he  did  what  he  hoped,  he  went  to  Colossae  and 


220  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

to  Philippi  and  probably  to  various  other  places 
in  the  east. 

4.  Spain. 

Clement  of  Rome  records  that  Paul  did  go  to 
the  limit  of  the  west.  We  can  only  say,  therefore, 
that  Paul  may  have  gone  to  Spain  after  the  visit 
east.  There  is  a  legend  to  the  effect  that  Paul 
went  even  as  far  as  Britain,  but  no  actual  evi- 
dence of  such  a  visit  exists.  It  is  possible  that 
Paul  was  in  Spain  when  Nero  burned  Rome, 
A.D.  64. 

5.  The  Burning  of  Rome. 

This  terrible  catastrophe  changed  the  whole 
horizon  for  Christians  in  Rome  and  to  a  large 
extent  in  the  empire.  In  a  mad  freak  Nero  set 
fire  to  the  city  to  see  it  burn  and  have  a  new  sen- 
sation. The  story  is  that  he  fiddled  on  the  house- 
top while  the  fire  raged.  The  fury  of  the  people, 
however,  led  Nero  to  lay  the  blame  on  the  Chris- 
tians as  the  scapegoats.  As  a  result  he  began 
furiously  to  persecute  the  Christians,  who  were 
now  distinguished  from  Jews  and  were  considered 
criminals.  To  be  a  Christian  was  now  a  crime, 
and  the  Christians  had  no  longer  any  standing 
before  Roman  law  and  were  the  victims  of  popu- 
lar fury.  Unspeakable  horrors  were  committed 
against  them  in  Rome.  The  Christians  were 
burned  and  were  cast  to  lions  and  tigers  in  the 
amphitheater  to  amuse  the  populace.  No  Chris- 
tian was  now  safe  in  Rome. 


Last  Years  of  Paul.  221 

6.  Crete. 

We  only  know  that  on  his  way  east  Paul  left 
Titus  in  Crete  (Titus  i:  5),  possibly  A.  D.  65. 
We  know  nothing  of  the  length  of  his  stay,  but 
the  Epistle  to  Titus  shows  that  Paul  gained  a 
full  knowledge  of  conditions  there  and  was  anx- 
ious that  Titus  should  correct  the  evils  as  far  as 
possible  by  the  choice  of  competent  pastors  for 
the  churches  already  organized.  Paul  expected 
to  send  Artemas  or  Tychicus,  so  that  Titus  could 
come  on  to  Nicopolis  (Titus  3:  12),  where  Paul 
was  then.  Zenas  and  Apollos  were  also  in  Crete 
(Titus  3:  13).  Evidently  considerable  work  was 
done  in  Crete. 

7.  In  Asia  the  Last  Time. 

Hints  in  i  Timothy,  written  from  Macedonia, 
and  2  Timothy,  written  from  Rome,  tell  of  various 
points  at  which  Paul  touched  during  this  journey. 
Perhaps  Ephesus  is  one  of  them  (i  Timothy 
1 :  3),  in  spite  of  Paul's  fear  that  he  had  seen  them 
for  the  last  time  (Acts  20:  25,  38).  He  had  left 
Timothy  in  charge  at  Ephesus.  He  had  sent 
Tychicus  on  to  Ephesus  (2  Timothy  4:  12), 
where  also  Prisca  and  Aquila  were  again  and  the 
house  of  Onesiphorus  (2  Timothy  4:  19).  Later 
the  apostle  John  is  said  to  have  labored  here  also. 
Paul  left  Trophimus  sick  at  Miletus  (2  Timothy 
4:  20),  and  Erastus  at  Corinth.  He  had  been 
also  at  Troas  with  Carpus  (2  Timothy  4:  13). 
These  glimpses  of  Paul's  last  activities  are  help- 
ful and  interesting.  The  time  was  probably  A.D. 
66  or  67. 


222  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

8.  In  Macedonia  Once  More. 

Paul  was  going  to  Macedonia  when  he  left 
Timothy  in  Ephesus  (i  Timothy  1:3).  He  ex- 
pected to  go  on  to  Nicopolis,  on  the  western  coast 
of  Achaia,  for  the  winter  (Titus  3:  12).  This 
is  all  that  is  told  us.  Perhaps  this  was  in  the 
autumn  of  A.D.  6y.  But  he  was  still  in  Mace- 
donia when  he  wrote  the  first  letter  to  Timothy. 
The  date  was  either  A.D.  66  or  6y, 

9.  First  Timothy. 

The  letter  tells  us  nothing  of  Paul's  environ- 
ment, save  that  he  was  in  Macedonia  (perhaps 
PhiHppi  or  Thessalonica).  The  occasion  of  the 
letter  is  not  given,  though  the  purpose  is  impHed 
in  1 :  3f.  He  means  to  reenforce  the  private  ex- 
hortations given  to  Timothy  when  he  urged  him 
to  stay  at  Ephesus  because  of  the  spread  of  heret- 
ical teaching  there.  Paul  had  foreseen  the  com- 
ing of  these  men  a  long  time  ago  (Acts  20:  29ff). 
The  east  was  full  of  all  sorts  of  teachers  with  all 
sorts  of  theological  wares.  They  came  from 
Egypt  with  the  worship  of  Isis  and  Osiris,  the 
"redeemer-gods,"  who  were  thought  to  have  died 
and  to  have  come  to  life  again.  The  followers  of 
Mithras  were  beginning  to  press  his  claims  as  a 
"saviour-god"  with  his  mystery-cult  of  the  tauro- 
bolium  (the  blood-bath  of  the  bull)  and  other 
secret  initiations.  The  Essenes,  Parsees  and  Stoics 
had  contributed  something  to  the  Gnostics,  who 
had  picked  up  a  sprinkling  of  Christianity.  These 
Gnostics  had  already  given  much  trouble  in  Colos- 


Last  Yea/rs  of  Paul.  223 

sae  and  Laodicea  and  all  Asia.  They  still  have  a 
following  in  Ephesus  and  Paul  is  greatly  disturbed 
over  the  future  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Paul 
had  fought  the  Judaizers  throughout  the  strength 
of  his  manhood  and  had  won  freedom  in  Christ 
for  all  men.  Now  in  his  old  age  he  still  has  to 
battle  against  the  strange  medley  of  philosophy, 
Essenism,  heathenism  and  Christianity  under  the 
guise  of  Gnosticism.  His  hope  is  the  young  min- 
isters who  are  to  carry  the  work  on  after  him. 
One  of  the  best  beloved  of  these  is  Timothy.  Not 
all  have  been  faithful  in  the  trying  times  that 
have  come.  Some  have  made  shipwreck  concern- 
ing the  faith  like  Hymeneus  and  Alexander. 
Paul  is  anxious  that  Timothy  fulfill  the  proph- 
ecies (promises)  of  his  youth  and  make  progress 
and  full  proof  of  his  ministry.  This  Epistle  is, 
therefore,  largely  personal  in  that  careful  instruc- 
tions are  given  to  Timothy  about  himself,  but  Paul 
also  discusses  various  ecclesiastical  problems  like 
the  qualifications  of  bishops  and  deacons  and 
social  problems  in  the  church  like  the  relations 
between  those  of  different  sex,  age  and  financial 
conditions.  The  letter  is  not  strictly  doctrinal, 
but  the  chief  Pauline  doctrines  appear  in  it.  There 
is  the  true  solicitude  of  an  old  preacher  for  his 
younger  colleague  and  son  in  the  gospel. 

10.   The  Epistle  to  Titus. 

It  is  not  certain  whether  Paul  was  still  in  Mace- 
donia, or  had  gone  on  to  Nicopolis,  where  he 
meant  to  spend  the  winter   (Titus  3:   12).     It 


224  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

is  rather  implied  that  he  has  not  yet  gone  to 
NicopoHs  when  he  writes  to  Titus,  since  he 
says,  "there"  instead  of  "here."  So  it  is  a  mat- 
ter of  conjecture  again  as  to  where  Paul  was  and 
precisely  when  he  wrote.  The  fact  that  he  was 
looking  forward  to  the  winter  perhaps  argues  for 
early  autumn  (or  late  summer)  of  A.D.  67;  at 
any  rate,  a  somewhat  later  date  than  First  Tim- 
othy. But  Paul  had  been  to  Asia  since  he  was  in 
Crete.  The  situation  in  Crete  is  very  much  the 
same  as  that  in  Asia.  Titus  was  the  evangelist 
in  charge  there,  as  Timothy  was  in  Ephesus.  The 
crux  of  the  situation  in  Crete  turned  also  on  the 
proper  selection  of  bishops  who  were  capable  and 
loyal  to  the  gospel  of  Christ.  The  Cretans  had  also 
been  exposed  to  the  Gnostics,  who  have  a  tinge 
of  Pharisaism  (Titus  i :  10)  rather  than  of  Es- 
senism.  They  make  loud  boasts,  as  at  Ephesus, 
but  their  lives  are  a  hollow  mockery.  Paul  is 
rather  sharp  in  his  judgment  of  the  Cretan  char- 
acter. The  Cretans  had  won  the  reputation  of 
liars  because  they  said  that  Zeus  was  dead  and 
was  buried  in  Crete.  As  a  result,  one  of  their 
own  poets,  Epimenides,  had  called  them  liars  and 
gluttons.  But  it  was  possible  to  be  true  to  Christ 
even  in  such  an  environment.  Paul  urged  wise 
dealing  with  the  social  problems  and  firm  pre- 
sentation of  the  gospel  of  grace  and  pious  living 
and  strict  discipline.  The  Epistle  bristles  with 
keen  and  pithy  points. 


Last  Years  of  Paul.  225 

11.   The  Arrest  of  Paul. 

Paul  was  probably  arrested  in  Nicopolis,  as 
he  would  hardly  have  crossed  over  to  Italy  under 
the  changed  conditions  there  since  Nero  had  been 
carrying  on  his  persecution  against  the  Chris- 
tians. There  were  informers  in  plenty  who  would 
be  only  too  v/illing  to  seize  Paul  as  a  well-known 
Christian  on  trumped-up  charges.  This  time  Paul 
was  not  the  victim  of  Judaizing  jealousy  or  Jewish 
hate,  but  rather  of  Gentile  indignation  against 
him  as  one  who  was  disturbing  the  worship  of 
the  old  gods  and  who  was  under  the  imperial 
ban.  Paul  was  now  a  religious  outlaw.  It  was 
not  difficult  to  accuse  him  of  complicity  in  the 
burning  of  Rome  and  so  get  him  to  Rome. 

12.    In  the  Mamertlne  Cunrcon. 

Paul  was  not  allowed  the  liberty  of  his  own 
hired  house  now.  He  was  closely  confined  as  one 
charged  with  a  capital  crime,  and  seems  to  have 
had  a  winter  of  cold  and  loneliness.  He  missed 
the  cloak  that  he  left  with  Carpus  at  Troas  (2 
Timothy  4:  13),  and  he  dreaded  the  prospect  of 
another  winter  without  it  in  the  dark  dungeon 
(2  Timothy  4:  21).  One  is  reminded  of  John 
the  Baptist  in  the  prison  at  Machserus.  Friends 
were  permitted  to  see  Paul,  but  few  dared  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  privilege  because  of  the 
peril  involved  in  thus  acknowledging  themselves 
Christians,  which  was  itself  now  a  crime  in 
Nero's  eyes.  Some  were  ashamed  of  Paul's 
chains  and  also  afraid  to  come  to  see  him.    The 


226  studies  in  the  "New  T^stmfHfnt. 

house  of  Onesiphorus  sought  Paul  and  found 
him  in  Rome  (2  Timothy  i :  i6f),  as  at  Ephesus, 
but  the  majority  had  other  engagements.  Some 
even  forsook  Paul,  like  Demas,  who  went  to 
Thessalonica  (4:  10),  and  even  Titus  had  gone 
to  Dalmatia,  whether  against  Paul's  wish  or  not 
is  not  clear.  At  any  rate,  only  Luke  was  with 
Paul  constantly  (4:  11),  though  there  were  other 
friends  still  in  Rome,  like  Eubulus,  Pudens, 
Linus,  Claudia  (4:  21).  But  Paul  is  not  afraid, 
though  he  does  long  to  see  Timothy  again  be- 
fore the  end  comes,  and  also  Mark,  who  has 
shown  himself  useful  and  has  overcome  his  early 
slip  in  his  work  (4:  11).  The  old  apostle  longs 
for  his  books,  especially  the  parchments  (2  Tim. 
4 :  13).  One  of  the  consolations  of  old  age  is  the 
great  books  that  one  loves.  The  hour  come*  when 
one  wishes  only  the  Book. 

ia.   Th»  Flrtt  SUg*  of  the  Trial  (2  Timothy  4:  Iff). 

Paul  had  already  had  one  appearance  in  court 
before  he  wrote  to  Timothy  and  had  escaped  con- 
demnation on  that  charge,  whatever  it  was.  He 
had  escaped  the  mouth  of  the  lion,  as,  alas,  so 
many  of  the  disciples  had  not  done!  But  Paul 
cherished  no  false  hopes  as  to  the  outcome.  He 
had  not  had  a  hand  in  the  burning  of  Rome,  nor 
was  he  guilty  of  any  of  the  charges  trumped  up 
against  him.  But  he  was  a  Christian,  and  that 
was  what  mattered.  He  would  not  deny  this  fact, 
nor  would  he  renounce  Jesus.  He  would  not  pur- 
chase life  on  earth  by  saying  "Lord  Caesar,"  in- 


Last  Tears  of  Paul.  227 

stead  of  *'Lord  Jesus."  So  he  looked  steadily 
towards  the  inevitable  outcome,  and  he  was  ready 
for  it  He  had  run  his  course,  fought  his  fight, 
kept  the  faith.  He  was  ready  for  the  sacrifice 
and  the  crown. 

14.   Second  Timothy. 

This  was  Paul's  state  of  mind  when  he  wrote 
to  Timothy  who  was  still  in  Ephesus.  He  prob- 
ably wrote  in  the  spring  of  A.D.  68.  Nero  killed 
himself  early  in  June  of  that  year,  and  Paul 
was  almost  certainly  put  to  death  before  that 
date.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Timothy  reached 
Rome  before  Paul's  death.  The  allusion  to  Tim- 
othy's being  set  free  (Hebrews  13:  23)  indicates 
that  Timothy  came  and  was  arrested  for  showing 
sympathy  with  Paul.  This  last  Epistle  of  the 
great  apostle  is  rich  with  the  mellow  wisdom  and 
serene  triumph  of  Paul's  spirit  over  all  opposi- 
tion. He  is  eager  that  Timothy  shall  be  a  good 
soldier,  faithful  as  Christ  was  and  as  Paul  has 
been.  He  offers  to  Timothy  the  heroic  call  to 
suffer  hardship  with  him  with  the  joy  of  service. 
Paul  counsels  Timothy  to  be  true  to  the  trust 
(deposit)  which  God  has  placed  with  him.  Christ 
is  able  to  guard  the  deposit  which  Paul  has  put 
into  his  hands.  Timothy  is  urged  to  train  up 
faithful  men  who  can  teach  others  also  (2  Tim- 
othy 2:2).  Paul  saw  that  the  problem  of  the 
gospel  was  largely  that  of  teaching  the  teachers. 
If  the  teachers  really  understand  Jesus  and  his 
mission  and  arc  capable    ("able    to   teach")  of 


228  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

teaching,  there  is  every  hope.  But  even  now,  after 
nineteen  hundred  years,  Christianity  is  still 
struggling  with  the  task  of  equipping  men  and 
women  to  teach  the  things  of  Christ.  In  particu- 
lar, Timothy  must  see  to  it  that  he  himself  is  a 
properly  prepared  exponent  of  the  Word  of 
truth  (2:  15)  and  ready  for  every  good  work 
(2:  21).  Paul  knows  that  people  will  have  ears 
that  itch  for  new  and  silly  tales  (4:  3),  but  the 
remedy  is  to  preach  the  Word  (4:  2),  and  to  live 
it.  Jesus  abideth  faithful,  for  he  cannot  deny  him- 
self (2:  13). 

15.   The  Death  of  Paul. 

No  man  has  written  the  story  of  Paul's  death. 
As  a  Roman  citizen  he  would  be  beheaded,  and 
tradition  places  the  execution  on  the  Ostian  Road, 
outside  of  the  city  of  Rome.  Let  us  hope  that 
Luke  went  with  Paul  and  saw  the  end.  Timothy 
would  go  also  if  in  Rome  and  not  a  prisoner.  But 
few  others  would  dare  go  with  Paul  to  the  execu- 
tioner's block.  But  what  did  it  matter  to  Paul 
now?  Jesus  stood  by  him  in  his  trial  (2  Timothy 
4:  17),  when  all  others  had  failed  him,  when  not 
even  Luke  seemed  to  have  been  present  (2  Tim- 
othy 4:  16).  Jesus  had  never  failed  Paul  since 
that  day  when  he  stopped  him  on  the  road  to 
Damascus  with  the  challenge,  "Saul,  Saul,  why 
persecutest  thou  me?"  (Acts  9:4.)  Jesus  laid 
his  hand  upon  Paul  and  gripped  his  whole  life 
that  day,  since  which  time  his  one  ambition  and 
passion  had  been  to  grip  fast  the  goal  set  before 


Last  Years  of  Paul.  229 

him  by  Christ  (PhiHppians  3:  13).  And  now 
the  goal  is  no  longer  a  flying  one,  but  Jesus  "will 
save  me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom"  (2  Timothy 
4:  18  j.  That  is  Paul's  trust  in  Jesus  and  he  was 
not  disappointed.  So  Nero  had  his  revenge  en 
Paul  but  soon  paid  the  penalty  with  his  own  life. 
Today  Nero  is  chiefly  remembered  for  his  wild 
cruelties  and  as  the  opposite  of  Paul,  whose  life 
he  touched  by  contrast,  little  knowing  that  the 
poor  Christian  prisoner  was  the  chief  fcrce  in  the 
life  of  the  world  at  that  time  and  would  through 
the  a^es  mould  men's  lives  for  Christ.  I  confess 
to  inability  to  comprehend  the  mental  attitude  of 
those  who  regard  Paul  as  the  perverter  of  the 
mission  of  Jesus.  The  rather  he  is  the  best  in- 
terpreter of  the  mind  and  mission  of  Christ  for 
all  ages,  the  most  intellectual,  the  most  virile,  the 
most  alert  and  comprehensive,  the  sanest  philos- 
opher, the  soundest  statesman,  the  best  soul- 
winner  of  all  those  who  have  followed  in  the  foot- 
steps of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour. 


230  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  Our  knowledge  of  this  period. 

2.  The  outcome  of  this  imprisonment. 

3.  Paul's  travels  after  his  release. 

4.  The  burning  of  Rome. 

5.  Crete. 

6.  Tychicus. 

7.  First  Timothy. 

8.  Life  of  Timothy. 

9.  Life  of  Titus. 

10.  Epistle  to  Titus. 

11.  Paul's  last  imprisonment. 

12.  The  last  trial. 

13.  Nero. 

14.  Second  Timothy. 

15.  Paul's  death. 

16.  Paul  as  an  interpreter  of  Christ. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE  TEACHING  OF  PETER  AND  JUDE. 


1.   The  Central  or  Catholic  Epietlee. 

This  term  has  been  applied  to  the  two  Epistles 
of  Peter,  the  one  of  Jude,  the  one  of  James,  and 
the  three  of  John  on  the  assumption  that  they 
are  not  addressed  to  individuals  or  to  single 
churches,  but  to  groups  of  churches  or  to  Chris- 
tians at  large.  It  is  not  true  of  2  and  3  John, 
which  are  plainly  to  individuals  (or  a  single 
church  in  the  case  of  2  John).  The  Epistles  of 
Peter  and  Jude  are  directed  to  the  elect  who 
are  sojourners  of  the  Dispersion  in  the  various 
provinces  of  Asia  Minor.  First  John  has  no  in- 
dication of  destination,  but  seems  to  have  the 
same  class  of  readers  in  mind.  The  Epistle  of 
James,  as  already  shown  (chapter  VHL,  18),  was 
probably  written  much  earlier  than  the  other 
Catholic  Epistles  (about  A.D.  48).  It  was  ad- 
dressed to  the  Christian  Jews  of  the  Eastern  Dis- 
persion, while  the  other  Catholic  Epistles  were 
sent  to  Christians  (Jew  and  Gentile)  of  the 
Western  Dispersion.  James  is  probably  the  very 
earliest  of  the  New  Testament  books,  while  the 
Epistles  of  John  seem  to  belong  to  the  period 

(2S1) 


232  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Besides,  the 
situation  that  is  met  in  the  Epistle  of  James  is 
very  different  from  that  found  in  the  other  Cath- 
olic Epistles.  The  Epistles  of  Peter  and  Jude 
likewise  outline  a  different  condition  from  that  set 
forth  in  the  Johannine  Epistles.  The  grouping 
is,  therefore,  mechanical  and  of  very  little  value 
to  the  student  of  the  New  Testament. 

2.   The  Later  Ministry  of  Peter. 

We  have  followed  the  work  of  Simon  Peter 
till  he  was  rebuked  by  Paul  at  Antioch  because 
of  his  weakness  in  the  presence  of  the  Judaizers 
from  Jerusalem  (Galatians  2:  11-21).  After  that 
•sad  incident  our  knowledge  of  Peter  is  very  slight. 
Paul  refers  to  him  in  i  Corinthians  9:  5,  in  lan- 
guage that  shows  Peter  was  married,  as  were 
James  and  Jude,  brothers  of  Jesus,  and  took  his 
wife  with  him  on  his  journeys.  In  the  Jerusalem 
agreement  (Galatians  2:  9)  the  plan  was  for 
Peter  to  have  the  mission  to  the  circumcision, 
while  Paul  had  that  to  the  uncircumcision.  In 
modern  phraseology  Paul  was  the  chief  foreign 
missionary,  while  Peter  was  the  leading  home 
missionary.  But  the  lines  were  not  kept  distinct. 
In  the  main,  however,  we  are  to  think  of  Peter 
as  active  among  the  Jews  of  the  Dispersion  since 
James  was  in  charge  in  Jerusalem.  For  the  rest 
we  are  largely  at  sea,  though  there  are  many  late 
rumors  of  Peter's  travels  and  activities.  He  is 
reported  to  have  labored  in  Babylon  among  the 
great  multitude  of  Jews  there.     In  fact,  Peter 


Teaching  of  Peter  and  Jude.  233 

was  in  Babylon  when  he  wrote  the  First  Epistle 
(i  Peter  5  :  13),  if  Babylon  is  to  be  taken  literally 
and  not  as  a  mystical  allusion  to  Rome  after  the 
fashion  of  the  apocalyptic  writings,  like  Revela- 
tion. In  that  case,  he  was  in  Rome  itself.  There 
are  various  statements  by  early  Christian  writers 
about  Peter's  ministry  in  Rome.  It  has  been 
argued  by  some  that  Paul  had  remained  away 
from  Rome  so  long  because  Peter  was  there  at 
work  and  he  did  not  wish  to  build  upon  another 
man's  foundation  (Romans  15:  20).  But  cer- 
tainly Peter  was  not  in  Rome  during  Paul's  first 
Roman  imprisonment,  nor  during  the  second  un- 
less after  the  writing  of  Second  Timothy  or  un- 
less Paul  studiously  avoided  mentioning  him, 
which  is  not  likely.  There  is  every  argument 
against  the  idea  that  Peter  founded  the  church  at 
Rome  and  remained  there  till  his  death.  He  may 
have  labored  a  while  in  Rome.  On  the  whole,  it 
is  more  than  probable  that  he  did  visit  Rome. 
That  is  all  that  we  can  say.  He  may  have  gone 
also  to  Corinth  since  a  party  in  Corinth  claimed 
to  follow  him  against  both  Paul  and  Apollos  (i 
Corinthians  i:  12),  but  the  language  does  not 
necessarily  mean  that  this  is  true.  Then,  again, 
Peter  may  have  labored  in  some  of  the  provinces 
of  Asia  Minor  since  the  First  Epistle  is  addressed 
to  Christians  in  that  region  ( i  Peter  1:1).  Paul 
had  certainly  labored  in  Asia  and  Galatia.  In 
any  case,  there  is  every  indication  that  Peter  was 
active  and  zealous  till  the  end.  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  he  made  any  claims  to  supreme  author- 


2S4  Sfu^hm  M  the  New  Te4tammt. 

ity  as  pope.  Indeed,  Paul  was  without  doubt  the 
chief  spirit  in  the  mission  work  of  the  apo«tolic 
period. 

6.   Th«  First  Epittit  of  Peter. 

(a)  Auther«hip. 

Some  objection  is  made  against  the  genuine- 
ness of  the  Epistle  on  the  ground  that  it  is  ad- 
dressed to  regions  where  Paul  labored  and  that 
there  is  shown  knowledge  of  Paul's  Epistles. 
Neither  of  these  objections  is  serious.  There  i« 
every  reason  to  believe  that  this  Epistle  is  gen- 
uine. The  bearer  of  it  was  Silvanus  (Silp.s), 
Paul's  companion  during  the  second  mission  tour 
(Acts  15 :  40).  It  is  possible  that  he  was  Peter's 
amanuensis  for  the  Epistle. 

(b)  Place. 

On  the  whole  it  is  probable  that  Peter  is  in  Rome, 
called  (mystical)  Babylon  because  of  the  Neronian 
persecution  which  raged  so  fiercely  there  and 
which  was  felt  even  in  the  provinces  ( i  Peter  4 : 
16).  Peter  may  have  come  to  Rome  from  the  cast 
after  the  persecution  began,  to  cheer  the  brethren 
there.  He  may  have  labored  in  Rome  at  an 
early  date  when  Paul  was  not  in  Rome.  There 
is  no  doubt  about  Peter's  courage  after  his  con- 
duct in  Jerusalem  recorded  in  the  opening  chap- 
ters of  Acts,  in  spite  of  his  temporary  defec- 
tion from  Paul  at  Antioch.  Mark  is  now  with 
Peter  and  is  reported  to  have  written  his  Gqs- 


Teaching  of  Peter  and  Jude,  235 

pel  for  the  Romans  (possibly  while  in  Rome). 
We  know  that  Mark  had  been  with  Paul  in  Rome 
about  A.D.  62  or  63  (Colossians  4:  10),  and  had 
been  planning  to  go  to  Colossae.  Papias  says  that 
Mark  was  Peter's  interpreter  as  well  as  com- 
panion. At  any  rate,  there  is  no  doubt  that  Mark 
made  himself  useful  to  Peter  as  he  later  did  to 
Paul  and  that  Mark's  Gospel  bears  the  marks  of 
Peter's  influence.  Not  the  least  thing  that  Peter 
did  was  so  to  preach  Jesus  that  Mark  reproduced 
his  picture  with  touches  of  Peter's  vividness  of 
detail  and  action. 

(c)  Date. 

The  Epistle  does  not  make  the  date  clear.  The 
allusions  to  the  fiery  persecutions  through  which 
the  readers  are  passing  (i  Peter  i  :  6ff ;  4:  12-16) 
seem  to  argue  for  a  period  scon  after  the  burning 
of  Rome  when  the  hatred  of  Christians  shown  in 
Rome  began  to  be  copied  in  the  provinces.  For- 
sooth, it  was  already  there,  as  Paul's  work  shows. 
Only  now  it  was  clear  that  Rome  would  not  de- 
mand strict  justice  about  the  Christians  and  would 
have  a  blind  eye  for  outrages  if  not  actually  in- 
stigate them.  Compare  Turkey  and  the  frequent 
Armenian  massacres  in  our  own  time.  That 
date  may  be  placed  about  A.D.  65. 

(d)  DMtlnation. 

This  we  know  to  be  the  Christians  of  Pontus, 
Galatia,  Cappadocia,  Asia  and  Bithynia  (i  Peter 
1:1).    The  order  of  these  provinces  from  east 


236  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

to  west  is  taken  to  show  that  Peter  was  in  Baby- 
lon and  not  Rome.  It  must  be  confessed  that  this 
is  the  natural  way  to  take  the  language.  At  any 
rate,  the  Epistle  is  general  in  its  address  and  Peter 
does  not  hesitate  to  address  in  the  tone  of  author- 
ity those  whom  Paul  had  been  chiefly  instrumental 
in  winning  to  Christ. 

(e)   Leading  Ideas. 

The  Epistle  is  mainly  hortatory  and  the  precise 
aim  seems  to  be  to  hearten  the  readers  who  are 
in  the  midst  of  severe  persecution  by  a  view  of  the 
example  of  Christ  and  the  picture  of  the  holv 
life  to  which  they  are  called.  They  are  offered 
the  consolations  of  piety,  not  immunity  from  suf- 
fering. The  conception  of  the  gospel  is  essen- 
tially the  same  as  that  of  Paul.  The  Christianr 
were  redeemed  by  the  precious  blood  of  Jesus  as 
the  Paschal  Lamb  (i:  i8f).  The  new  birth  is 
insisted  upon  (i :  23;  2:  2).  The  people  of  God 
as  a  whole  are  presented  as  a  spiritual  house 
(2:  4f),  a  holy  priesthood  (2:  5),  an  elect  race, 
a  holy  nation,  God's  own  possession  (2:  9),  pil- 
grims and  sojourners  here  (2:  11).  The  term 
"brotherhood"  (2  17)  also  occurs  for  the  whole 
body  of  believers  (men  and  women).  He  has 
pointed  words  about  social  wrongs  that  should  be 
righted  and  social  duties  to  be  discharged.  A  very 
obscure  passage  in  3 :  19  is  interpreted  by  some 
to  teach  probation  after  death,  but  on  too  slender 
a  foundation.  Peter  is  anxious  that  Christians, 
who  are  now  hated  as  a  class,  shall  show  clean 


Teaching  of  Peter  and  Jude.  237 

lives  and  not  suffer  as  thieves  and  murderers 
(4:  1-16).  It  is  proper  for  judgment  to  begin  at 
the  house  of  God,  but  those  not  Christians  cannot 
escape  and  are  without  hope  and  help  (4:  lyi). 
In  5 :  i-io,  Peter  seems  to  be  mindful  of  the 
command  of  Jesus  to  feed  the  flock  of  God  and 
he  is  now  really  humble  in  heart  and  can  talk 
about  it  simply  and  powerfully.  "Girded  with 
humility"  may  be  a  figure  taken  from  the  towel 
with  which  Christ  girded  himself  when  he  washed 
his  disciples'  feet.  The  Epistle  is  rich  in  words 
of  comfort  to  the  soul. 

4.   The  Epistle  of  Jude. 

(a)  The  Author. 

He  calls  himself  simply  "Jude,  a  servant  of  Je- 
sus Christ,  and  brother  of  James."  (i)  The 
James  is  the  brother  of  Jesus  who  had  a  brother 
named  Judas  (Mark  6:  3),  also  not  converted 
until  after  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  (Acts  I : 
14).  It  is  noticeable  that,  though  he  speaks  of 
being  the  brother  of  James,  he  does  not  men- 
tion the  fact  that  he  is  a  brother  of  Jesus.  In 
this  he  follows  the  example  of  James.  The  work 
of  Jude  is  unknown  to  us,  save  that  he  was  mar- 
ried and  carried  his  wife  with  him  in  his  work 
and  travels  (i  Corinthians  9:5).  The  Epistle 
shows  him  to  be  a  man  of  vivid  imagination  and 
passionate  nature. 


238  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

(b)  Date. 

There  is  much  uncertainty  between  this  Epistle 
and  2  Peter.  If  the  genuineness  of  2  Peter  is 
admitted,  as  I  hold,  then  both  epistles  must  come 
before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.  The  point  is 
that  the  second  chapter  of  2  Peter  either  made 
use  of  the  Epistle  of  Jude  or  Jude  made  use  of 
this  chapter.  The  arguments  are  nicely  balanced, 
but,  on  the  whole,  it  seems  more  natural  to  think 
that  the  smaller  Epistle  should  have  been  to  a 
certain  extent  incorporated  in  the  larger  than 
that  the  smaller  should  have  picked  out  one 
chapter  of  the  larger  for  modification.  Besides, 
Jude  has  quite  an  individual  style  full  of  pic- 
turesque phrases  that  argue  for  originality. 
Hence,  we  have  to  think  of  a  date  somewhere 
about  A.D.  66  as  the  probable  time  when  the 
Epistle  was  written. 

(c)  Place  and  Destination. 

We  know  nothing  of  either.  There  is  nothing 
concerning  the  location  of  the  writer.  As  to 
readers  he  only  says,  ''to  them  that  are  called, 
beloved  in  God  the  Father,  and  kept  for  Jesus 
Christ"  (i).  This  language  is  wholly  general 
and  leaves  us  at  sea.  But  it  is  not  addressed  to  a 
local  church. 

(d)  Doctrine. 

The  writer  is  conscious  of  the  common  bend 
that  binds  them  all  in  Christ,  and  speaks  of  "our 
common  salvation"    (3).     He  is  aware  of  the 


heresies  that  were  threatening  his  readers,  prob- 
ably the  Gnostics,  and  urges  the  believers  to  con- 
tend earnestly  for  the  faith  which  was  once  for 
all  delivered  unto  the  saints  (3).  The  word 
"faith"  here  means  the  content  of  the  gospel 
rather  than  trust  in  Christ.  But  evidently  the 
heretics  denied  "our  only  Master  and  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,"  not  only  by  creed,  but  also  in  life  (4). 
He  reminded  his  readers  of  God's  dealings  with 
Israel  in  Egypt  and  with  evildoers  through  all 
their  history.  The  quotation  from  Enoch  (i4f) 
occurs  in  nearly  these  words  in  the  book  of  Enoch, 
one  of  the  Jewish  apocalypses.  He  speaks  of  the 
apostles  of  Jesus  as  a  group  of  leaders  (17),  who 
predicted  these  evil  days.  He  makes  a  passionate 
plea  for  rescue  work  to  save  the  perishing  (23). 

0.   %%^r\4  Kpittio  of  P«t«r. 

(a)  Authorthlii. 

No  book  in  the  New  Testament  causes  to  much 
doubt  about  its  genuineness  as  the  Second  Epistle 
of  Peter.  The  writer  claims  to  be  Simon  Peter 
( I :  I ) ,  and  to  be  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
refers  to  the  First  Epistle  in  explicit  language 
(3 :  i).  But,  none  the  less,  the  style  in  the  Greek 
is  decidedly  different  in  spite  of  certain  resem- 
blances. It  is  argued  also  that  the  use  of  "your 
apostles"  (3:2)  shows  that  the  writer  is  not  really 
an  apostle  himself  and  that  he  places  Paul's  writ- 
ings on  a  par  with  the  Old  Testament  (3:  16), 
which  would  not  have  been  done  in  the  first  cea- 


240  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

tury.  As  to  the  style  of  the  Greek,  which  is 
rather  uncouth,  it  is  possible  that  this  was  Peter's 
own  work  without  any  revision.  He  was  called 
"unlearned  and  ignorant"  (Acts  4:  13),  and  was 
certainly  not  a  school-man,  but  a  fisherman.  In 
the  case  of  First  Peter  it  may  be  that  Silvanus 
acted  as  Peter's  amanuensis  (i  Peter  5 :  12),  and 
hence  may  have  smoothed  out  points  of  Greek 
here  and  there.  So  Luke  may  have  done  in  re- 
porting Peter's  speech  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
which  is  given  in  condensed  form.  The  difference 
in  vocabulary  between  the  two  Epistles  may  be 
partly  explained  by  difference  in  subject-matter. 
The  reference  to  apostles  is  not  a  real  hindrance 
to  Petrine  authorship  nor  is  that  to  Paul's  v/rit- 
ings.  Peter  really  loved  Paul,  and  there  was  no 
standing  breach  between  them.  Indeed,  I  Peter 
represents  an  essentially  Pauline  conception  of 
Christ  and  Christianity.  On  the  whole,  therefore, 
the  evidence  is  still  in  favor  of  the  genuineness 
of  Second  Peter  as  Bigg  holds  in  his  great  com- 
mentary. If  the  Epistle  is  not  genuine  it  is  pseu- 
depigraphic  (under  an  assumed  name),  for  the 
name  of  Simon  Peter  is  employed  as  the  author. 
The  situation  is  not  like  that  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  which  makes  no  claim  about  the 
author. 

(b)  Date. 

If  genuine,  the  date  must  come  between  First 
Peter  and  Peter's  death  (between  A.D.  65  and 
68),  probably  67  or  68. 


Teaching  of  Peter  and  Jude.  241 

(c)  Destination. 

The  writer  expressly  says  that  he  is  addressing 
the  same  readers  as  those  reached  by  First  Peter 
(2  Peter  3:  i). 

(d)  Chief  Ideas. 

The  Epistle  is  intensely  practical  and  rich  in 
helpful  exhortations.    He  evidently  means  to  com- 
bat the  Gnostic  teaching  in  the  mOst  effective  way 
by  a  richer    experience    of    Christ.     The  "like 
precious    faith"     (i:    i)    reminds    one    of    the 
"preciousness"  to  believers  in  i  Peter  2 :  7.  Peter 
lays  emphasis  on  "knowledge"  in  this  epistle  (i : 
2,  5,  12;  2:  20;  3:  18).    With  Peter  the  knowl- 
edge of  Jesus  is  the  most  excellent  of  the  sciences. 
He  appeals  to  his  own  knowledge  of  Christ  while 
on  earth,  "eyewitnesses  of  his  majesty"  (i:  16), 
and  describes  the  voice  from  the  majestic  glory 
on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration,  the  holy  mount 
(i :  lyi).  Peter  holds  to  the  new  birth  (partakers 
of  the  divine  nature,  i:  4),  and  urges  diligence 
to  the  full  realization  of  God's  elective  purpose 
concerning  us  (i:  5-1 1).    He  is  anxious  to  do 
his  part  to  that  end  by  this  letter  to  stir  up  their 
minds  by  remembrance  and  to  do  something  so 
that  after  his  death  they  may  be  able  to  know  the 
things  of  Christ  (i :  I4f).    It  is  possible  that  he 
has  here  in  mind  also  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  which 
had  been  prepared  to  some  extent  under  Peter's 
auspices.    At  any  rate,  there  is  now  no  excuse  for 
any  not  to  know  Jesus.  The  dim  light  of  prophecy 
has  been  displaced  by  the  full-orbed  Sun  of  Right- 
It 


242  8tud4es  in  the  New  Testament. 

eousness.  The  word  of  prophecy  is  thus  made 
clearer  by  the  coming  of  Christ.  Men  spoke  as 
the  Holy  Spirit  disclosed  to  them,  not  by  caprice 
or  impulse.  The  translation  should  be  "pri- 
vate disclosure,"  not  "private  interpretation"  (i: 
2of).  The  coming  of  false  prophets  was  to  be 
expected  and  should  not  be  disconcerting  any 
more  than  it  was  in  the  days  of  old,  and  we 
may  add  in  the  days  since  Peter  wrote.  "New 
Thought,"  "Christian  Science,"  "Russellism," 
"Mormonism,"  and  many  other  crudities  will  con- 
tinue to  disturb  the  followers  of  Jesus.  A  few 
men  are  even  saying  that  Jesus  never  existed,  and 
that  Paul  and  Peter  misunderstood  him  if  he  did 
exist.  "The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the 
godly  out  of  temptation"  (2:  9).  He  will  do  it 
now.  Men  had  already  begun  to  ridicule  the  re- 
turn of  Christ  to  earth.  The  scoffers  misunder- 
stood the  ways  of  God  who  does  not  count  time 
as  we  do.  The  main  concern  of  all  should  be 
earnest  piety,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  Jesus  when 
he  does  come  and  to  hasten  his  coming  by  the 
spread  of  his  kingdom  among  men. 

6.   The  Death  of  Peter. 

We  are  not  told  any  of  the  details,  and  the  early 
writers  are  not  agreed.  He  was  probably  put  to 
death  about  A.D.  68,  not  far  from  the  time  of 
Paul's  death.  There  is  some  support  for  the 
notion  that  Peter  was  put  to  death  about  A.D.  64 
as  a  result  of  Nero's  persecutions,  soon  after  the 
burning  of  Rome,  but  we  follow  the  more  probable 


Teaching  of  Peter  and  Jude,  243 

theory.  The  place  seems  to  have  been  Rome.  The 
story  is  that  he  was  crucified  and,  at  his  own  re- 
quest, head  downward  as  not  worthy  to  be  cruci- 
fied as  Jesus  was.  But  we  can  only  know  that 
Peter  died  worthily  as  Jesus  had  said  he  would 
do  (John  21 :  i8f).  He  had  once  boasted  that  he 
would  die  for  Jesus  though  all  men  forsook  him, 
and  then  denied  Christ  that  very  night.  But  by 
slow  steps  Peter  came  back  and  up  and  met  his 
task  bravely  and  nobly  to  the  end. 


TOPICS   FOR   REVIEW. 


I. 

The  Catholic  Epistles. 

2. 

The  life  of  Simon  Peter. 

3. 

Peter  and  Paul. 

4. 

The  First  Epistle  of  Peter. 

5. 

The  Second  Epistle  of  Peter. 

6. 

Pseudepigraphic  writings. 

7- 

The    beginning    of    a    New    Testament 

canon 

. 

8. 

Jude  the  brother  of  James. 

9- 

The  Epistle  of  Jude. 

10. 

Peter  and  Rome. 

II. 

Heresy  in  creed. 

12. 

Heresy  in  conduct. 

13. 

The  second  coming  of  Christ. 

CHAPTER  XV. 


THE  PRIESTHOOD  OF  CHRIST. 


1.    Unity  of  Teaching  in  the  New  Testament. 

The  most  striking  thing  in  the  New  Testament 
is  the  unity  of  conception  of  Christ  and  oneness 
in  doctrine  and  ethical  standards.  The  various 
books  represent  different  grades  of  culture  and 
separate  standpoints.  One  sees  at  once  that  the 
bond  of  union  is  Jesus.  Efforts  have  been  made 
to  show  that  the  earliest  type  of  teaching  in  Chris- 
tian circles  regarded  Jesus  as  merely  a  good  man 
and  that  Jesus  himself  did  not  claim  to  be  Christ 
the  Son  of  God  and  did  not  receive  worship.  It 
has  been  asserted  that  it  was  only  after  Paul  had 
made  his  interpretation  of  Jesus  as  the  Christ 
that  the  disciples  came  to  worship  Jesus  as  the 
Son  of  God.  Hence  the  cry  "Back  to  Christ"  was 
raised  to  get  away  from  the  Christ  of  Paul  to  the 
Jesus  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels.  Unfortunately  for 
this  plea,  the  Jesus  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels  turns 
out  to  be  identical  with  the  Christ  of  Paul  and  of 
the  Gospel  of  John.  Then  it  was  urged  that  the 
real  historical  Jesus  can  be  found  only  in  the 
original  sources  that  lay  behind  the  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels, but,  when  modern  criticism  has  agreed  on 
this  source  called  Q,  or  Logia  of  Jesus  behold, 

(244) 


T?ie  Priesthood  of  Christ.  245 

Christ  is  there,  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God.  The 
next  step  has  been  taken,  viz.,  to  brush  all  the 
Gospels  and  their  sources  aside  as  perverted  and 
distorted  pictures  under  the  twist  of  theology.  The 
historical  Jesus  can  only  be  found  by  rejecting 
all  the  known  evidence  about  him  and  making  up 
a  Jesus  of  the  imagination,  the  Jesus  of  evolution 
pure  and  simple,  the  mere  product  of  his  time,  a 
good  man,  but  only  a  man.  It  remains  only  to 
add  that  the  final  step  in  this  delusion  in  criticism 
is  to  say  that  Jesus  never  existed  at  all,  but  is 
pure  invention.  This  bold  denial  of  the  historicity 
of  Jesus  is  the  logical  deduction  from  the  rejection 
of  the  Gospels  as  witnesses  about  him.  But  it  is 
a  reductio  ad  ahsurdum  and  defeats  itself.  We 
come  back  then  to  sanity  in  criticism.  Once  admit 
that  all  the  New  Testament  books  treat  Jesus  as 
the  Son  of  God,  as  God  and  man,  and  we  have  no 
trouble  on  that  score  if  we  are  willing  to  hear 
testimony  and  to  hear  the  witness  of  Christ  in 
our  own  hearts  and  lives.  We  are  ready  then 
to  see  diversity  in  unity,  but  the  unity  is  there 
because  the  same  spirit  has  spoken  through  differ- 
ent men  the  gospel  of  grace  in  Christ.  The  books 
present  Christianity,  not  Judaism,  not  Buddhism, 
not  Stoicism,  not  Mithraism,  nor  any  other  of  the 
mystery  cults. 

2.    Diversity  of  Teaching. 

There  are  many  sides  to  the  character  of  Christ. 
The  Epistle  of  James  gives  us  probably  the  earliest 
view  of  Jesus  that  we  have,  but  even  there  Jesus  is 


246  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

the  Lord  Christ  and  the  object  of  faith.  No  one 
Gospel  is  exhaustive  in  presenting  the  story  of  Je- 
sus. There  is  an  element  of  truth  in  the  new  dis- 
cussion of  the  Synoptic  Christ,  the  Johannine 
Christ,  the  Pauline  Christ,  the  Petrine  Christ,  but 
the  difference  is  a  matter  of  temperament  and 
training,  not  of  different  Christs.  Paul  did  not 
preach  "another  Jesus"  (2  Corinthians  11:  4) 
from  Peter  and  Peter  from  Paul.  Jesus  himself 
was  so  many-sided  that  no  one  man  saw  all  of  him 
or  could  tell  all  that  he  saw.  Each  man  gave  his 
interpretation.  At  bottom,  they  all  agree,  but  there 
is  the  diversity  of  life.  Each  of  the  Synoptic  Gos- 
pels has  its  own  angle  of  vision.  Mark's  Gospel 
is  the  simplest  and  the  most  objective  presenta- 
tion of  Jesus,  while  Matthew's  Gospel  gives  us 
Jesus  as  the  Jewish  Messiah,  and  Luke's  as  the 
Saviour  of  the  whole  world.  But,  while  this  is 
true,  the  variation  is  a  matter  of  emphasis  or  tone 
in  the  picture,  not  of  essence.  Each  of  the  Synop- 
tic Gospels  gives  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God,  the  object  of  faith  and  worship.  The  Gospel 
of  John  is  more  metaphysical  and  philosophical  in 
the  prologue  (John  i :  1-18),  and  gives  the 
eternal  relation  of  Jesus  as  the  Logos  (cf.  Plato 
and  Philo),  who  is  eternally  with  the  Father 
(eternally  begotten  as  Origen  says),  and  who  was 
incarnated  or  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  men. 
But  it  is  not  a  new  Christ,  but  the  same  Christ 
who  died  for  our  sins  and  rose  again  from  the 
dead  and  now  leads  the  hosts  of  righteousness  to 
victory.    Paul  comes  to  the  interpretation  of  Jesus 


The  Priesthood  of  Christ.  247 

from  the  side  of  Pharisaism  and  with  a  trained 
intellect  and  theological  precision  of  statement. 
But  Paul  dropped  the  vagaries  of  Pharisaism  con- 
cerning a  political  Messiah  and  grounded  his  view 
of  Christ  in  his  own  experience  of  grace,  though 
he  brought  a  rich  environment  of  Jewish  and 
Greek  culture  to  the  statement  of  his  views.  He 
is  the  theologian  of  the  New  Testament,  but  he 
never  loses  sight  of  the  central  fact  of  Christ's 
death  for  sinners.  Freedom  from  sin  and  from 
the  law  by  reason  of  Christ's  atoning  death  is  the 
core  of  Paul's  teaching.  Peter  is  eminently  prac- 
tical, but  he  has  a  firm  grasp  upon  the  funda- 
mentals of  the  faith,  redemption  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  proof  of  the  new  birth  by  the  new  life. 
The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  emphasizes  the  priestly 
work  of  Christ  which  is  found  elsewhere  also. 
Paul  proclaimed  the  propitiatory  death  of  Christ 
as  the  heart  of  his  gospel  (Romans  3  :  25).  Peter 
taught  redemption  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ 
(i  Peter  i:  i8f).  With  John  we  see  the  same 
idea,  for  Jesus  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins  ( i 
John  2:2).  The  book  of  Revelation  has  much 
about  the  Lamb  slain  for  our  sins  (Revelation  5 : 
6,  10).  But  the  only  formal  discussion  of  the 
priestly  work  of  Christ  occurs  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews.  He  is  the  Priest-victim  in  the  New 
Testament  as  well  as  Prophet  and  King,  but  in 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  the  subject  is  treated 
with  fullness  and  marvelous  ability. 


248  studies  in  the  New  Tettament. 

3.  Authorship  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 

The  Epistle  itself  tells  nothing,  and  many  names 
have  been  suggested,  such  as  Paul,  Luke,  Apollos, 
Barnabas,  Clement,  Silas,  Timothy,  Priscilla.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  we  really  do  not  know  and  prob- 
ably shall  never  know.  Origen  says  that  only  God 
knows.  The  argument  from  style  is  not  conclu- 
sive, though  it  certainly  is  not  in  the  style  of  any 
of  Paul's  thirteen  Epistles.  It  is  held  by  some 
that  the  book  was  originally  an  address  of  Paul 
which  was  put  by  Luke  into  the  form  of  a  letter. 
But  anonymity  does  not  affect  the  value  of  the 
book  at  all.  Paul  still  has  advocates,  though  the 
bulk  of  modern  opinion  is  against  the  Pauline 
authorship. 

4.  Destination. 

There  is  doubt  also  concerning  the  readers.  It 
seems  clear  that  a  local  church  is  addressed,  for 
the  writer  seems  to  refer  to  specific  experiences 
of  a  group  of  people  in  one  community  (Hebrews 
10 :  34ff).  The  whole  argument  of  the  book 
makes  it  plain  that  this  group  is  a  body  of  Jewish 
Christians  and  not  Gentile  Christians.  But  what 
Jewish  church  ?  Naturally,  the  church  in  Jerusa- 
lem occurs  to  one  as  the  most  obvious  one,  since 
there  is  so  much  in  the  book  about  the  ritual  of 
Jewish  worship.  Some  have  argued  for  a  place 
in  Egypt  or  in  Asia  Minor,  or  even  in  Italy.  The 
oldest  manuscripts  have  simply  "To  Hebrews." 
Like  Matthew's  Gospel  and  the  Epistle  of  James, 
this  Epistle  is  addressed  specially  to  Jews. 


The  Prietthood  of  Ohritt.  249 

8.    Place  of  Writing. 

The  writer  may  have  been  in  Italy.  The  sen- 
tence, "They  of  Italy  salute  you"  (Hebrews  13: 
24),  naturally  implies  that  the  writer  is  in  Italy, 
but  it  may  also  mean  those  who  have  come  from 
Italy  and  are  now  with  the  writer.  Equally  in- 
conclusive is  the  reference  to  Timothy  (13:  23), 
who  may  be  in  Italy  after  his  release  or  may  have 
left. 

C.   The  Date. 

The  fullness  of  detail  about  the  ritual  worship 
apparently  implies  that  the  temple  is  still  stand- 
ing. But  the  fact  that  the  description  of  the  taber- 
nacle is  given,  rather  than  the  temple,  is  urged  on 
the  other  hand  to  show  that  the  book  was  written 
after  the  destruction  of  the  temple.  The  writer, 
however,  explains  (8:  2f),  that  the  tabernacle  is 
used  because  it  was  an  immediate  copy  of  the 
heavenly  pattern.  Besides,  the  argument  that  the 
old  covenant  "is  nigh  unto  vanishing  away"  (8: 
13)  would  have  been  clinched  by  the  statement 
that  the  temple  itself  has  been  destroyed.  The 
failure  to  do  this  argues  that  the  book  was  written 
before  that  event,  and  yet  it  may  have  been  just 
before.  Once  more  the  plea  for  Christians  to 
come  out  of  the  Jewish  camp  (13:  iiff)  makes 
it  unlikely  that  the  temple  was  destroyed  when 
the  book  was  written.  So,  then,  if  the  Epistle  was 
written  after  Paul's  death  (before  June.  A.D 
68)  and  before  the  destruction  of  the  temple  in 
A.D.  70,  we  have  a  narrow  margin  for  the  date, 
somewhere  near  A.D.  69. 


250  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

7.  Style. 

The  author  is  the  most  literary  of  all  the  New 
Testament  writers,  though  the  book  is  written 
in  the  current  koine.  It  is  not  literary  Attic  nor 
exactly  literary  koine,  but  is  vernacular  koine, 
with  a  decided  literary  flavor.  There  is  progress 
in  the  argument  and  more  literary  structure  than 
is  usually  the  case  in  the  New  Testament.  The 
book  begins  like  a  treatise,  proceeds  like  a  sermon, 
and  concludes  like  a  letter.  In  the  opening  verses 
there  are  some  terms  that  reveal  knowledge  of 
Alexandrian  philosophy  (cf.  John's  use  of  Logos 
for  Christ,  a  term  common  in  Plato  and  Philo), 
whether  Philo  or  the  Wisdom  of  Solomon  or  just 
a  knowledge  of  the  school  of  Alexandria.  The 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  is  intensely  loyal  to  Christ 
and  its  philosophy  of  religion  is  centered  in  the 
person  of  Christ.  The  writer  uses  the  figures  of 
speech  of  a  man  of  culture  and  has  often  the 
periodic  structure  of  the  orator  with  the  orator's 
glow  and  passion. 

8.  Occasion. 

The  immediate  occasion  of  the  Epistle  was  ap- 
parently the  peculiar  trial  of  the  Jewish  Chris- 
tians. It  is  not  a  case  like  the  Judaizers  in  Anti- 
och  and  Jerusalem,  Galatia  and  Corinth  who 
sought  to  fasten  Judaism  upon  Christianity,  or 
like  the  Gnostics  in  Asia  who  tried  to  dilute  Chris- 
tianity with  philosophical  speculation  and  the 
mystery  cults.  The  trouble  is  here  far  more  sim- 
ple and  direct.     The  Jewish  Christians  are  at- 


The  PriestTiood  of  Christ.  251 

tacked  by  their  Jewish  neighbors  with  the  charge 
that  Christianity  is  no  religion  at  all  when  com- 
pared with  Judaism.  The  Christians  are  re- 
minded of  Moses  and  the  angels,  of  Joshua  and 
Aaron,  of  the  prophets  and  the  covenant,  of  the 
tabernacle  and  temple  with  all  the  glorious  serv- 
ice, of  the  promises  to  Israel  alone.  They  were 
reminded  also  of  the  low  estate  of  Jesus,  who  was 
not  merely  a  man,  but  a  man  rejected  by  the 
Jewish  ecclesiastics  and  crucified  as  a  criminal. 
They  were  asked,  in  short,  to  g^ve  up  Christianity 
entirely  and  com-e  back  to  Judaism,  the  religion 
of  their  fathers,  the  only  religion  worth  while.  It 
was  a  powerful  plea  and  had  evidently  made  some 
impression.  The  enthusiasm  of  many  was  chilled. 
Their  activity  was  deadened  and  hesitation  and 
doubt  had  settled  upon  some.  It  was  a  crisis  for 
that  church  and  meant  ruin  for  it  if  matters  were 
not  set  right.  One  is  reminded  of  the  crisis  in  New 
England  Congregationalism  when  Unitarianism 
carried  away  so  many  of  the  churches  from  the 
worship  of  Jesus  as  Lord  and  Saviour.  The 
author  writes  out  of  a  deep  sense  of  immediate 
need  and  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  this  crisis 
and  holding  these  Jewish  Christians  to  their  con- 
fession of  faith  and  hope  in  Christ. 

9.   The  Line  of  Argument. 

The  author  proceeds  to  show  in  most  mas- 
terly fashion  that  Jesus  is  the  real  glory  of  Chris- 
tianity and  that  Jesus  lifts  it  sheer  above  Judaism 


252  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

at  every  turn.    We  can  follow  his  course  of  argu- 
ment with  perfect  ease. 

(a)  Jesus  is  Better  Than  the  Prophets  (1:  1-3). 

He  is  the  Son  of  God  and  that  is  the  crown  of 
the  gospel.  God  did  speak  through  the  prophets 
to  the  men  of  old.  That  is  true  beyond  doubt,  but 
it  was  a  scattered  and  a  varied  message,  but,  in  the 
person  of  God's  Son,  God  has  given  the  full  and 
final  Word  to  men,  the  consummation  of  the  old. 
This  Son  is  very  God  of  very  God  in  essence, 
power  and  service.  He  not  only  made  the  uni- 
verse, but  he  has  offered  sacrifice  for  sin  and  now 
sits  on  the  throne  with  the  Father. 

(b)  Jesus  Is  Better  Than  the  Angels  (1:   4 — 2:  18). 

At  once  Jesus  has  been  lifted  to  a  plane  above 
man  and  yet  he  was  and  still  is  man.  The  per- 
son of  Christ  is  thus  a  problem  not  from  the 
Gnostic  standpoint,  but  from  the  universal  stand- 
point. In  particular  the  Jews  were  opposed  to 
the  worship  of  a  mere  man  and  most  of  them  to 
the  worship  of  angels,  though  some  Jews  (cf. 
Tobit)  had  already  begun  to  worship  angels  (so 
the  Essenes).  But  the  angels  worship  Jesus.  The 
writer  presents  Jesus  as  superior  to  angels  be- 
cause he  is  the  Son  of  God  ( i :  4 — 2  :  4),  as  shown 
by  Scripture.  Hence,  it  is  perilous  to  turn  away 
from  this  great  salvation.  Once  again  he  is 
superior  to  angels  because  he  is  the  Son  of  man 
(2:  5-18).  This  very  Incarnation  is  a  crown  of 
honor  and  fulfills  the  true  destiny  of  man.  More- 


The  Priesthood  of  Christ.  253 

over,  the  Incarnation  was  appropriate  as  the  Fa- 
ther looked  at  it,  since  thus  the  Son  gained  a  per- 
fect human  experience  and  was  quaHfied  to  render 
service  as  high  priest  of  which  he  would  have 
been  incapable  otherwise. 

(c)  Jesus     is     Better     Than     Moses     and     Joshua 

(3:  1—4:  13). 
What  the  Jewish  Christians  need  is  to  under- 
stand Jesus  properly,  to  "realize"  Jesus.  If  they 
do  that,  they  will  see  that  Moses  was  a  faithful 
servant  in  God's  house  (people  of  Israel),  while 
Jesus  is  a  faithful  Son  over  God's  house  (the 
spiritual  Israel).  The  warning  is  pertinent  for 
the  Jewish  Christians  not  to  imitate  their  ances- 
tors, who,  under  Moses,  perished  in  the  wilder- 
ness and  proved  unworthy  to  enter  the  Promised 
Land.  The  elect  are  those  that  hold  out  unto  the 
end.  The  eye  of  God  is  upon  all  and  no  one  can 
escape  him. 

(d)  Jesus    is    a    Better    High    Priest    Than    Aaron 

(4:  14—7:  28). 
The  high  priest  had  human  sympathy  and  di- 
vine appointment.  Jesus  had  both.  His  experi- 
ence in  Gethsemane  proves  his  sympathy  and  he 
was  appointed  by  God  a  High  Priest  after  the 
order  of  Melchizedek,  not  Aaron.  The  author 
then  proves  that  Melchizedek  was  a  greater  man 
than  Abraham,  and,  therefore,  of  Aaron  and  Levi. 
Jesus  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  Judah,  net  of  Levi. 
He   is   a   King-Priest,   like    Melchizedek.     The 


254  studies  in  the  If  etc  Teatament, 

readers  are  rebuked  for  their  sluggishness  and 
urged  to  wake  up  and  not  to  relapse  into  a  state 
of  hopeless  defection.  Their  hope  is  in  God  who 
has  given  his  promise  and  oath  to  keep  those  who 
flee  to  him  for  refuge. 

(6)    Jesus    Ministers    Under    a    Better    Covenant 

(Chapter  8). 

The  covenant  of  law  failed  because  the  people 
could  not  or  did  not  keep  it.  The  new  covenant 
is  one  of  grace  and  is  in  the  heart.  It  is  operative 
and  effectual  in  Christ  and  displaces  the  old  Chris- 
tianity ;  thus  it  takes  the  place  of  Judaism,  which 
is  old  and  nigh  unto  vanishing  away. 

(f)  Jesus  Serves  in  a  Better  Sanctuary  (9:  1-12). 

The  old,  though  patterned  after  the  heavenly, 
was  only  meant  to  last  till  a  time  of  reformation, 
when  Jesus  came  and  the  ceremonial  passed  away 
because  the  real  had  come.  Jesus  is  now  our 
High  Priest  in  heaven,  the  greater  and  more  per- 
fect tabernacle  where  he  officiates. 

(g)  Jesus  Offers  a  Better  Sacrifice  (9:  13—10:  18). 
The  blood  of  bulls  and  goats  has  no  efficacy 

in  itself.  It  only  serves  as  a  symbol  of  the  true 
sacrifice,  which  is  Jesus  himself.  He  is  the  Vic- 
tim and  the  Priest.  His  sacrifice  is  voluntary  and, 
therefore,  in  the  realm  of  Spirit.  It  is  that  of  the 
sinless  God-man  with  infinite  value.  Thus  he 
makes  effective  the  types  of  himself.  Thus  he  iS 
able  by  the  one  sacrifice,  which  does  not  have  to  be 


TJie  Priesthood  of  Christ.  255 

repeated,  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come 
unto  God  by  him.  There  is  no  more  need  of  a 
sin  offering,  for  this  one  offering  brings  remis- 
sion of  sin.  Thus  we  are  cleansed  in  heart  and 
life,  sanctified  in  Christ. 

(h)  Jesus  Fulfills  the  Promises  (10:  19—12:  3). 

Faith  in  the  unseen  God  has  actuated  the  saints 
in  all  the  ages.  They  had  faith  in  God  even  when 
they  failed  to  see  the  great  promise  of  the  Mes- 
siah come  true.  They  did  see  God  faithful  in 
his  word,  even  in  times  of  the  greatest  trial.  The 
inspiration  of  the  high  and  holy  past  stirs  the  real 
Jews  to  be  loyal  to  Christ  now.  Jesus  himself 
endured  the  cross  and  despised  the  shame,  and 
thus  gives  us  the  supreme  example  of  fidelity.  He 
is  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith  and  calls 
upon  us  to  be  true  to  the  end. 

10.   The  Application  (12:  4—13:  25). 

(a)  Chastisement  is  Proof  of  God's  Love  (12:  4-17). 

The  lesson  of  chastisement  is  one  that  children 
have  to  learn.  It  is  easier  to  see  the  benefit  after 
the  chastisement  is  over.  Patient  endurance  is 
what  is  needed. 

(b)  The  Warning  of  Mount  Zion  (12:  18-29). 

The  Jews  all  knew  of  the  thunders  of  Mount 
Sinai.  But  (jod  is  still  a  consuming  fire.  Mount 
Zion,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,   the  kingdom  of 


256  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

God,  is  more  terrible  than  the  old.    Hence,  apos- 
tasy must  be  abhorred  and  avoided. 

(c)   If  Necessary,  Come  Out  of  Judaism  (Chapter  13). 

The  issue  is  not  pressed,  unless  the  Jews  insist. 
But  they  led  Jesus  outside  of  Jerusalem  and  cruci- 
fied him  there  on  Golgotha.  Let  us  not  be 
ashamed  to  go  out  and  take  our  stand  with  Jesus 
outside  the  camp  of  Judaism  and  bear  the  re- 
proach of  the  cross  with  him.  The  cross  has 
become  his  glory.  Let  us  glory  in  it  also.  Jesus 
has  not  changed.  Why  should  we  give  him  up? 
Let  us  be  loyal  to  Christ  and  to  the  Christian 
leaders. 


TOPICS  FOR  REVIEW. 

1.  Christ  in  the  New  Testament. 

2.  Types  of  teaching  in  the  New  Testament. 

3.  The  author  of  Hebrews. 

4.  The  readers  of  Hebrews. 

5.  Date. 

6.  Purpose  of  the  Book  of  Hebrews. 

7.  Characteristics  of  the  Epistle. 

8.  Peril  of  the  Jewish  Christians. 

9.  Line  of  argument  in  reply. 
10.  The  glory  of  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


FINAL  VICTORY. 


1.   The  Life  of  John. 

We  have  few  dates  for  constructing  a  picture 
of  the  work  of  John  after  the  story  in  Acts  drops 
him.  In  the  early  chapters  of  Acts  John  appears 
to  be  the  constant  companion  of  Peter  and  yet 
to  be  in  a  way  not  so  aggressive  as  Peter,  who 
is  the  speaker  on  all  occasions  when  it  is  necessary 
to  speak.  Peter  and  John  were  sent  from  Jerusa- 
lem to  Samaria  to  investigate  the  work  of  Philip 
there  (Acts  8:  14).  He  is  mentioned  no  more  in 
Acts,  save  in  12:  2  as  the  brother  of  James,  who 
was  killed  by  Herod  Agrippa  I.  John  must  have 
thought  of  the  words  of  Jesus  when  he  and  James 
made  the  ambitious  request  about  sitting  on  the 
right  hand  and  the  left  hand  of  Jesus.  Jesus 
had  promised  that  they  should  both  drink  of 
the  cup  of  death  and  have  the  baptism  of  death 
(Mark  10:  39ff).  James  had  now  had  his  bap- 
tism of  blood.  It  was  John's  turn  next  and  he 
wondered  when  it  would  come.  He  himself  did 
not  share  the  idea  which  some  had  taken  up  that 
he  was  to  live  till  Jesus  came  back  to  earth  again. 
That  was  merely  a  misunderstanding  of  what 
Jesus  had  said  to  Peter  in  reference  to  Peter's 

17  (257) 


258  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

ill-considered  inquiry  about  John  when  Jesus  had 
assured  Peter  of  his  martyrdcm  (John  21 :  2023). 
It  was  evidently  a  surprise  to  John  that  he  lived 
longer  than  any  of  the  original  apostles.  John 
was  in  attendance  upon  the  great  conference  in 
Jerusalem  and  shared  the  honor  of  the  occasion 
with  James,  the  brother  of  Jesus,  and  Simon  Pe- 
ter. These  three  were  the  pillars  in  Jerusalem 
(Galatians  2:  gi).  But  he  is  not  recorded  in 
Acts  15  as  making  a  speech  as  Peter  and  Jame? 
did.  He  remained  silent  in  'spite  of  his  promi- 
nence and  power.  Like  Peter,  he  was  not  a  man 
of  the  schools  and  had  no  scholastic  training  (Acts 
4 :  13),  but  he  was  a  man  of  supreme  genius.  He 
and  James  were  called  sons  of  Thunder,  and  John 
showed  his  fiery  disposition  by  his  harshness 
toward  the  man  who  was  casting  out  demons  in 
the  name  of  Jesus,  though  not  one  of  the  apostolic 
circle  (Mark  9 :  38f ),  and  by  wishing  to  call  down 
fire  upon  the  Samaritan  village  (Luke  9:  54f). 
He  apparently  shared  in  the  jealousies  of  the 
apostles  at  the  last  pas-sover  (Luke  22:  24ff).  It 
is  clear,  therefore,  that  John  had  much  to  over- 
come in  his  own  nature  to  become  the  apostle  of 
love.  Jesus  loved  him  tenderly  and  found  that 
John  understood  some  of  his  moods  and  ideas 
best  of  all.  He  was  evidently  a  man  of  the  spir- 
itual temperament  and  with  rare  elevation  and 
nobility  of  thought,  but  also  with  intensity  of  feel- 
ing and  energy  of  action.  It  is  clear  from  3  John 
9f  that  John  traveled  a  good  deal  among  the 
churches.    He  probably  was   familiar  with   the 


Final  Victory.  259 

seven  churches  of  Asia  addressed  in  the  Book  of 
Revelation  (2,  3),  and  knew  their  characteristics 
well.  He  was  in  exile  on  the  Isle  of  Patmos,  when 
he  wrote  the  Apocalypse,  because  of  his  witness  to 
Jesus  (Revelation  i :  9)  probably  at  Ephesus. 
The  early  writers  tell  of  a  ministry  of  John  in 
Ephesus.  He  seems  to  have  lived  on  till  near  the 
end  of  the  first  century  and  is  said  to  have  suf- 
fered death  in  a  cauldron  of  boiling  oil.  He  is 
represented  as  having  sharp  opposition  to  Cerin- 
thus,  the  Gnostic.  But,  like  Peter,  John  had  no 
Luke  to  follow  his  fortunes,  and  his  later  history 
is  wrapped  in  obscurity,  though  many  stories  are 
told  about  him  by  late  writers. 

2.   The  Johannine  Writings. 

These  writings  (the  Fourth  Gospel,  the  Epistles 
of  John,  the  Apocalypse  or  Revelation)  are  the 
occasion  of  the  sharpest  controversy.  The 
Johannine  Question,  as  it  is  called,  is  complex. 
The  authorship  of  the  Fourth  Gospel  is  still  keenly 
debated,  but  advocates  of  the  Johannine  author- 
ship have  the  best  of  the  argument,  though  it  is 
now  generally  recognized  that  this  Gospel,  written 
last  of  all  toward  the  close  of  the  century,  repre- 
sents the  teaching  of  Jesus  of  a  special  sort  re- 
flected in  the  mould  of  John's  own  personality. 
John  has  caught  in  a  marvelous  way  the  spirit 
of  Christ,  and  the  words  of  Jesus  are  often 
blended  with  his  own  condensation  or  paraphrase. 
The  Fourth  Gospel  supplements  the  other  Gospels, 
but  does  not  contradict  them.    But  if  we  assume 


260  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

that  John  the  apostle  is  the  author  of  the  Fourth 
Gospel,  we  still  have  left  the  problem  of  the 
Epistles  and  the  Revelation.  The  Epistles  are 
practically  identical  in  style  and  tone  with  the 
Gospel  and  are  bound  to  be  credited  to  the  same 
author,  though  the  term  "elder"  (presbyter)  in 
second  and  third  John  has  made  some  suspect 
that  the  presbyter  John,  not  the  apostle  John,  is 
the  author.  The  Apocalypse  does  furnish  a  real 
difficulty  both  in  style  and  in  subject  matter.  The 
Greek  is  the  most  vernacular  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  shows  more  variations  from  gram- 
matical niceties.  The  Gospel  and  Epistles  are  com- 
paratively free  from  such  idiosyncracies.  The 
explanations  are  various.  Some  urge  that  this  is 
the  true  apostle  John  while  the  Gospel  and  Epistles 
are  by  the  presbyter  John.  Others  argue  pre- 
cisely the  opposite,  that  it  is  the  Revelation  that 
is  by  the  presbyter  John.  Others  deny  that  the 
apostle  John  wrote  any  of  the  books.  Still  others 
hold  that  John  the  apostle  wrote  them  all,  as  I 
believe.  The  diversity  of  style  may  be  explained 
either  by  the  fact  that  the  Revelation  was  earlier 
and  represents  John's  cruder  idiom  or  by  the  fact 
that  the  Revelation  was  unrevised,  since  John  was 
in  exile  and  shows  also  the  excitement  of  the 
visions  which  he  has  seen.  This  latter  view  ap- 
peals to  me.  But  there  are  many  points  of  like- 
ness between  the  various  Johannine  writings  in 
vocabulary,  thought,  and  diction.  They  represent 
one  of  the  great  divisions  of  the  New  Testament. 


Final  Victory,  261 

3.  Date  of  the  Epistles. 

There  is  absolutely  nothing  to  indicate  clearly 
the  date  of  the  Johannine  Epistles  or  their  relation 
to  each  other  in  point  of  time.  The  fact  that  John 
is  the  chief  spirit  in  Asia  Minor  seems  to  indicate 
a  period  after  the  death  of  Paul  and  Peter.  We 
naturally  think  of  a  date  after  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  perhaps  about  A.D.  80-85. 

4.  The  Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

The  year  A.D.  70  marks  a  new  era  in  Jewish 
history  and  in  the  history  of  Christianity  as  well. 
Henceforth  the  Jews  are  without  a  temple,  and 
even  without  a  homeland.  They  have  been  scat- 
tered to  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth  with  the 
rest  of  the  Dispersion  and  are  still  so  scattered. 
Jesus  had  foretold  this  dire  disaster  (cf.  Matthew 
24,  25),  and  found  in  it  the  punishment  of  the 
Jews  for  their  treatment  of  him  and  the  prophecy 
and  types  of  the  end  of  the  world  and  of  his 
second  coming  to  earth.  The  Christians  likewise 
came  to  see  in  the  destruction  of  the  city  and 
temple  a  sign  of  the  downfall  of  Judaism  for  its 
rejection  of  the  Messiah.  He  came  unto  his 
own  land  and  his  own  people  received  him  not. 
The  separation  of  Christianity  from  Judaism  be- 
came clearer  after  this  great  tragedy.  Paul  had 
foreseen  that  the  Jews  would  lose  (had  already 
lost)  their  primogeniture  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
They  had  let  their  privilege  fall  unused  by  their 
side.    We  are  to  think  then  of  all  the  Johannine 


262  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

writings  as  written  after  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, though  there  is  still  dispute  concerning 
the  date  of  the  Apocalypse  as  we  shall  see. 

5.  The  Spread  of  Gnosticism. 

Paul  had  foreseen  the  peril  of  incipient  Gnos- 
ticism and  fought  it  in  the  third  and  fourth 
groups  of  his  Epistles.  Peter  likewise  grappled 
with  Gnosticism,  as  did  Jude.  But  the  heresy 
had  developed  now  to  a  sharper  issue.  They  be- 
came quite  aggressive  and  John's  tone  is  very 
sharp  toward  them.  Both  kinds  (Docetic  and 
Cerinthian  Gnostics)  are  condemned  in  those 
Epistles.  If  one  will  read  the  Ignatian  Epistles, 
written  in  the  early  years  of  the  second  century, 
he  will  see  Gnosticism  of  a  still  more  highly  de- 
veloped type.  But  in  John's  life  it  had  spread  far 
and  wide. 

6.  The  First  Epistle  of  John. 

In  the  opening  verses  we  find  John  insisting 
that  Jesus  had  an  actual  human  body  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  Docetic  Gnostics,  who  held  that  Jesus 
only  seemed  to  be  a  man  and  was  really  an  aeon. 
The  Gospel  of  John,  while  showing  the  humanity 
of  Jesus,  clearly  lays  chief  emphasis  on  his  deity 
(John  20:  31),  probably  against  the  Cerinthian 
Gnostics,  who  denied  that  the  man  Jesus  and  the 
3eon  Christ  were  one,  or  against  the  Ebionites, 
who  denied  the  real  deity  of  Jesus.  The  First 
Epistle  of  John  admits  the  deity  of  Jesus,  but  lays 
chief  stress  on  his  humanity  as  genuine  and  real. 


Final  Victory,  263 

So  "the  blood  of  Jesus  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin"  (i  John  1:7).  The  Cerinthian  Gnostics 
are  condemned  in  i  John  2 :  22 :  "Denieth  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ."  We  must  try  the  spirits 
whether  they  be  of  God.  The  Docetic  Gnostics 
denied  that  Jesus  Christ  came  in  the  fiesh  (4:  2f). 
The  dominant  note  in  this  Epistle  is  that  of  reality. 
John  could  not  brook  the  shallow  pretentiousness 
of  the  Gnostics,  who  claimed  special  initiation  into 
divine  mysteries  and  peculiar  familiarity  with 
God  and  flippantly  said,  "I  know  him"  (2:  4), 
and  yet  hated  their  brothers  and  walked  in  all 
manner  of  evil.  They  talked  loudly  of  the  light 
and  walked  in  darkness.  They  are  liars,  says  John 
with  all  bluntness.  The  easy-going  profession  of 
absolute  freedom  from  sin  was  a  travesty  of  Chris- 
tianity. We  have  hope  because  we  have  Jesus  as 
our  Propitiation  for  sin  and  our  Advocate  with 
the  Father  (2:  if).  The  man  who  falls  into  sin 
has  thus  hope  of  pardon,  while  the  man  who  per- 
sists in  the  habit  of  sin  is  like  the  devil  and  be- 
longs to  the  devil  whose  child  he  is  (3:  4-10). 
Love  of  the  brethren  is  proof  of  love  of  God.  If 
we  love  God  we  will  love  the  sons  of  God.  Faith 
is  the  victory  that  overcomes  the  world.  Faith 
has  love.  Perfect  love  casts  our  fear.  The  world 
still  lives  in  the  grip  of  the  evil  one,  but  it  will 
yet  be  rescued  from  his  dominion. 

7.   The  Second  Epistle  of  John. 

The  Elect  Lady  may  be  a  church  or,  as  is  more 
likely,  a  lady.    Her  name  may,  indeed,  be  Cyria 


264  studies  in  the  New  Testament, 

(verse  5).  We  seem  to  have  an  Epistle  to  a 
sainted  woman  and  her  children.  John  is  pleased 
with  her  children  and  that  will  make  her  heart 
glad.  She  had  probably  entertained  John  on 
one  of  his  journeys  (mission  tours).  He  writes 
of  truth  and  love,  of  Christ  as  the  standard  of 
truth,  of  progress  within  and  into  the  fullness  of 
Christ,  not  the  shallow  ignoring  of  Christ  in  the 
name  of  progress. 

8.   The  Third  Epistle  of  John. 

Here  we  have  an  Epistle  to  a  choice  servant  of 
God,  whether  preacher  or  layman.  We  know  not 
if  he  is  the  Gains  of  Corinth,  Paul's  host  at 
Corinth  (Romans  16:  23).  But  he  had  been  the 
host  of  other  strangers,  mission  teachers  and 
preachers,  besides  John  (3  John  5f),  and  had 
helped  them  forward  in  their  journeys  for  Christ. 
It  was  still  impossible  for  the  missionaries  to  re- 
ceive pay  from  the  Gentiles  as  they  went  forth 
for  the  name  of  Jesus.  They  would  have  been 
accused  of  coming  for  the  money.  Already  we 
see  in  Gains  one  who  gave  a  glad  welcome  to  the 
preachers  of  Christ.  He  had  a  kindred  spirit  in 
Demetrius.  But  Diotrephes  had  refused  to  en- 
tertain John,  when  with  the  church,  and  had 
threatened  expulsion  to  those  who  dared  to  show 
hospitality  to  John.  Diotrephes  is  the  typical 
church  "boss"  of  the  rule  or  ruin  sort.  These 
little  Epistles  of  John  give  us  precious  glimpses 
into  the  church  life  of  the  later  years  of  the  first 
century  as  Christianity  pushed  on  its  struggle 


Final  Victory.  265 

with  Judaism,  heathenism,  Gnosticism,  Mithraism 
and  all  the  mystery  cults  of  the  age,  pushed  on  in 
spite  of  the  narrow  jealousy  and  stinginess  of 
many  of  the  Christians  themselves,  by  the  energy 
of  the  few  consecrated  ones  like  John,  the  Elect 
Lady,  Gains  and  Demetrius,  who  gave  themselves 
wholly  to  the  progress  of  the  kingdom. 

9.  The  Date  of  the  Apocalypse. 

A  generation  ago  it  was  common  to  say  that  the 
Apocalypse  was  written  just  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  when  people  were  expecting 
Nero  to  come  back  to  life  and  power.  The  catas- 
trophies  pictured  were  due  to  the  Neronian  perse- 
cution. But  it  has  now  been  discovered  that 
Domitian  was  considered  by  some  to  be  Nero 
Redivivus.  He  surpassed  Nero  as  a  persecutor. 
Hence  the  express  testimony  of  Irenaeus  as  ob- 
tained from  Polycarp  that  John  wrote  the  Apoca- 
lypse near  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Domitian  is 
allowed  full  weight.  The  book  is  probably,  after 
all,  the  last  book  of  the  New  Testament. 

10.  The  Shadow  of  Persecution. 

The  Roman  Emperor  Domitian  had  instituted 
persecution  against  Christians  as  a  nuisance  and 
the  power  of  the  state  was  heavy  against  them 
all  over  the  empire,  particularly  in  Asia  Minor. 
John  himself  fell  a  victim  to  this  widespread  op- 
pression of  Christianity  and  is  in  exile  in  the 
Isle  of  Patmos.  Paul  (2  Thessalonians  2)  had 
foreseen  this  struggle  between  Rome  and  Chris- 


266  StucUes  in  the  New  Testament. 

tianity  and  had  pictured  the  Roman  emperor  as 
the  Man  of  Sin  who  received  worship  as  God. 
The  emperor  cult  was  the  chief  worship  of  the 
empire.  It  was  inevitable  that  Christianity, 
whose  disciples  could  not  worship  Caesar,  would 
come  into  collision  with  the  state  whenever  the 
state  endeavored  to  force  the  Christians  to  wor- 
ship the  emperor.  Caligula  had  trouble  with  the 
Jews  on  this  score.  Nero  took  it  up  as  a  way 
out  of  his  scrape  about  the  burning  of  Rome.  But 
Domitian  is  in  a  much  more  serious  mood  and 
inaugurates  a  fixed  policy  to  stamp  out  Chris- 
tianity as  dangerous  to  Roman  imperialism.  So 
the  great  battle  between  Caesar  and  Christ  was  on. 
It  was  to  last  for  centuries.  The  issues  often 
hung  in  the  balance.  Caesar  had  all  the  advan- 
tage of  power  and  prestige  from  a  worldly  point 
of  view.  How  could  the  scattered  congregations 
of  believers  stand  up  against  this  arbitrary  power  ? 
Already  thousands  have  been  slain. 

11.   The  Purpose  of  the  Apocalypse. 

John  is  full  of  the  visions  about  the  conflict,  and 
writes  to  cheer  the  saints  in  the  midst  of  battle. 
They  are  oppressed  by  the  power  of  imperial 
Rome  and  by  the  hand  of  the  provincial  govern- 
ment. The  ring  of  seven  churches  from  Ephesus 
were  in  the  very  center  of  the  conflict.  Some  were 
tempted  to  turn  traitor.  All  needed  a  word  of 
cheer.  No  one  could  speak  it  with  the  same  ac- 
cent of  authority  as  John  the  Beloved  Apostle, 
now  himself  in  his  old  age  an  exile  for  witnessing 


Fhial  Victory.  267 

to  Christ.  There  were  martyrs  in  plenty,  and 
John's  turn  would  come  soon.  But  he  is  not 
afraid. 

12.   The  Method  of  the  Apocalypse. 

The  book  of  Revelation  is  an  apocalypse,  is, 
in  fact,  the  Christian  apocalypse.  The  term 
"apocalypse"  means  revelation  (unveiling),  and 
at  first  seems  a  misnomer  when  applied  to  a  book 
full  of  symbols  which  are  so  obscure  to  us.  But  it 
is  to  be  remembered  that  the  symbols  were  not 
necessarily  obscure  to  the  readers.  The  use  of 
apocalyptic  was  a  recognized  method  of  writing 
that  was  now  in  common  use  among  the  Jews.  It 
arose  in  times  of  oppression  when  the  Jews  were 
afraid  to  say  in  plain  language  all  that  they 
wished  to  say.  Hence,  symbols  were  used  that 
were  intelligible  to  the  initiated,  but  more  or  less 
of  a  jumble  to  the  uninformed.  The  Book  of 
Daniel  is  a  striking  instance  of  such  a  writing  in 
the  Old  Testament.  See  also  the  Book  of  Enoch, 
Second  Esdras.  In  fact,  the  apocalyptists,  as  they 
v/ere  called,  came  to  be  the  chief  spiritual  inter- 
preters of  the  better  Judaism  of  the  time  in  con- 
trast with  the  hard  Pharisaism  so  current.  But 
there  were  many  vagaries  and  excrescences  in  the 
use  of  apocalyptic.  The  Book  of  Revelation  is  al- 
most a  mosaic  of  images  used  in  Ezekiel  and 
Daniel.  Some  writers  claim  that  the  book  uses 
other  Jewish  apocalypses.  There  was  ample  reason 
for  the  use  of  apocalyptic  in  Revelation  since  the 
downfall  of  Rome  is  predicted  and  that  prediction 


268  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

would  not  help  Christians  at  Rome.  Hence,  the 
imagery  is  veiled  and  yet  it  is  clear  enough  that 
here  Babylon  refers  to  Rome.  The  courage  of 
John  who  is  in  exile  is  not  concealed  by  the  use 
of  imagery. 

13.    Interpretations  of  the  Apocalypse. 

The  book  has  proven  a  veritable  puzzle  to  the 
expositors,  once  the  historical  atmosphere  is  lost 
and  the  key  to  the  symbols  is  gone.  Those  with 
special  theories  of  the  millennium  have  appealed  to 
it  for  proof.  The  millennium  is  only  mentioned 
in  the  twentieth  chapter  and  is  itself  a  symbol,  but 
has  been  made  by  many  the  key  to  the  whole  book. 
The  essential  fact  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ 
is  in  danger  of  being  obscured  by  rival  theories 
of  the  millennium.  Schemes  of  history  have  been 
worked  out  to  fit  the  seven  seals,  the  seven  trum- 
pets, and  the  seven  bowls.  These  have  been  taken 
as  continuous,  one  series  after  the  other,  and  as 
outlining  the  course  of  history  till  the  end  of  the 
world.  They  have  also  been  taken  as  synchronous, 
each  series  more  or  less  parallel  and  each  going 
to  the  end.  But  both  of  these  historical  theories 
fail  in  any  fair  interpretation  of  the  symbols. 
Roman  Catholic  scholars  found  the  millennium  to 
begin  with  the  conversion  of  Constantine,  but 
Protestants  have  replied  that  this  period  is  the 
Dark  Ages  and  that  the  two  beasts  are  Pagan  and 
Papal  Rome.  The  Roman  Catholic  scholars  have 
replied  that  the  book  is  all  over  in  the  past 
(Preterist  theory)  either  in  the  time  of  Nero  or 


Final  Victory.  269 

of  Domitian.  If  so,  the  fulfillment  ought  to  be 
clear  by  now.  Other  Romanists  have  urged  that 
the  book  is  all  about  the  future  (Futurist  theory), 
and  has  no  bearing  on  the  present.  In  the  medley 
of  views,  some  scholars  take  all  the  book  to  be 
purely  spiritual  with  no  historical  aspects  at  all. 
A  saner  view  is  the  more  recent  one  of  W.  M. 
Ramsay,  who  finds  in  the  two  beasts  a  reference 
to  imperial  and  provincial  Rome  as  persecuting 
Christians  and  sees  the  occasion  and  immediate 
historical  reference  in  the  Domitianic  persecution, 
but  takes  the  book  as  a  picture  in  general  terms 
of  the  struggle  between  the  world  dominion  and 
Christ  repeated  throughout  the  ages.  It  is  futile 
to  make  the  book  a  proof  text  in  ecclesiastical 
controversy  since  the  symbols  can  be  interpreted 
in  so  many  ways.  No  book  demands  more  com- 
mon sense  and  none  yields  richer  fruit  when 
handled  properly. 

14.   Letters  to  the  Seven  Churches. 

The  whole  book  is  addressed  to  the  circle  of 
seven  Asia  churches  (Ephesus,  Smyrna,  Per- 
gamum,  Thyatira,  Sardis,  Philadelphia,  Laodi- 
cea)  so  that  one  is  justified  in  thinking  the  need 
of  these  churches  was  especially  great,  though  the 
book  has  a  message  for  all  Christians  of  that  age 
and  of  all  times.  There  are  (chapters  2,  3)  special 
messages  to  each  of  these  churches.  The  churches 
represent  various  types,  to  be  sure,  but  the  picture 
is  a  true  one  drawn  from  life.  Already  Chris- 
tianity is  feeling  the  influence  of  the  lapse  of  years 


270  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

upon  those  who  are  disposed  to  grow  weary  in 
well-doing.  Heresy  is  rife  in  Asia  (cf.  Colossians, 
Ephesians,  i  and  2  Timothy).  The  love  of  many 
has  grown  cold  and  orthodoxy  is  often  a  dead 
form.  Jesus  walked  among  the  churches  then  as 
he  does  now  and  sees,  alas,  all  the  shortcomings 
and  subterfuges  of  the  'saints.  The  predictions 
about  these  churches  and  cities  have  all  been  ful- 
filled. The  ruins  of  Ephesus,  for  instance,  speak 
eloquently  of  a  first  love  from  which  this  great 
church  of  privilege  and  power  has  turned  away. 

15.    Practical  Aspects  of  the  Apocalypse. 

There  is  a  great  deal  in  the  book  that  is  easily 
understood  and  that  is  exceedingly  useful  for  the 
life  of  all  Christians.  The  picture  of  the  worship 
of  God  and  Jesus  in  chapters  four  and  five  is  in- 
spiring for  true  devotion.  The  same  thing  is 
true  of  all  the  many  glimpses  of  heaven  in  the 
book.  Jesus  is  the  object  of  worship  on  a  par 
with  the  Father.  Jesus  has  made  atonement  for 
sin  and  is  now  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  in 
power  and  glory.  He  will  come  again  to  claim 
his  own  and  it  will  not  be  long,  as  God  counts 
time.  So  the  saints  must  cheerfully  endure  the 
ills  of  the  present  in  hope  of  the  glory  that  i*s  to 
be.  The  power  of  Rome  may  kill  the  bodies  of  the 
martyrs,  but  their  souls  are  happy  with  God. 

18.    Certainty  of  Triumph   In  the   End. 

Jesus  is  Captain  and  is  leading  the  hosts  of  God 
asrainst  the  hosts  of  Satan.    The  conflict  outlined 


nnal  Victory,  271 

in  the  Temptation  of  Jesus  is  here  set  forth  at 
length.  In  spite  of  the  apparent  victory  of  Satan 
as  he  uses  the  power  of  Rome,  or  Anti-Christ,  to 
slay  the  followers  of  Jesus,  the  outcome  will  be 
the  conquest  of  the  world  for  Christ.  "The  king- 
dom of  the  world  has  become  the  kingdom  of  our 
Lord  and  of  his  Christ"  (Revelation  ii:  15). 
There  will  be  many  ups  and  downs,  but  already 
John  sees  the  fall  of  Babylon.  The  joy  of  heaven 
over  this  event  reflects  the  spirit  of  the  whole 
book.  It  is  a  drama,  the  drama  of  man  in  his  last 
struggle  with  Apollyon.  Christ  as  Captain  will 
win.  The  hosts  of  Satan  go  back  to  hell.  The 
hosts  of  Christ  occupy  the  New  Jerusalem,  the 
city  of  God,  the  glorious  picture  of  heaven,  where 
the  peace  of  God  is  in  every  heart,  where  the  Lamb 
is  the  Light,  where  God  himself  is  the  Temple 
and  the  Glory,  where  his  servants  serve  him  and 
see  his  face  and  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 


272  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 


TOPICS   FOR   REVIEW. 

1.  John  the  apostle. 

2.  The  Johannine  writings. 

3.  Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 

4.  Spread  of  Gnosticism. 

5.  First  Epistle  of  John. 

6.  Second  Epistle  of  John. 

7.  Third  Epistle  of  John. 

8.  Date  of  the  Apocalypse. 

9.  The  Domitianic  persecution. 
ID.  Jewish  apocalyptic. 

11.  Purpose  of  the  Book  of  Revelation. 

12.  Interpretations  of  the  book. 

13.  The  letters  to  the  seven  churches. 

14.  Pictures  of  heaven  and  hell. 

15.  The  millennium. 

16.  The  triumph  of  Jesus. 


QUESTIONS  FOR  REVIEW  AND 
EXAMINATION. 


These  questions  may,  at  the  close  of  the  study,  be 
assigned  as  a  special  lesson.  Careful  and  constant  re- 
view, at  each  recitation,  of  all  the  preceding  lessons, 
will  bring  the  class  to  this  final  test  already  prepared. 
At  least  sixteen  questions,  one  for  each  chapter,  should 
be  selected  from  those  given  below  for  the  examination. 
Pupils  making  a  grade  of  70  per  cent  are  given  appro- 
priate seal  for  their  diploma.  Teachers  preferring  to 
do  so  may  submit  an  examination  at  the  close  of  each 
"Part." 

CHAPTER  I. 

1.  Show  how  the  Roman  Empire  built  "on  the  ruins  of 

the  past." 

2.  Indicate  the  influence  of  Greece  on  the  Roman  Empire. 

3.  Tell  of  educational  conditions  in  the  Roman  world. 

4.  Show  how  philosophy  "had  received  a  distinctly  prac- 

tical turn"   at  this   time. 

5.  What  was  the  state  of  religion  in  the  Roman  world 

when  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  born? 

6.  What  was  the  state  of  morals  at  this  time? 

7.  Describe  social  conditions  in  the  Roman  Empire. 

8.  Tell  of  "business  activity." 

9.  Name  some  of  the  important  cities  of  this  period. 

10.  What  of  the  influence  wielded  by  militarism? 

11.  Show  how  the  "provinces"  were  governed.    What  of  the 

government  of  Judea  during  the  ministry  of  Jesus? 

12.  Indicate  the  general  character  of  Augustus  Csesar,  and 

tell  of  his  reign. 

13.  What  is  meant  by  the  Dispersion?     Tell  something  of 

the   Jews   of  the   Eastern   Dispersion,   and   of   the 
Western  Dispersion. 

(278) 


274  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 


CHAPTER  II. 

1.  Explain  the  coming  of  Palestine  under  Roman  Rule. 

2.  Tell  something  of  Greek  influence  in  Palestine  dnrlnf 

the  century  preceding  the  Christian  Era. 

3.  Tell  of  the  career  and  character  of  Herod  the  Great. 

4.  What  men  succeeded  Herod  the  Great? 

5.  Describe  the  character,  and  outline  briefly  the  career,  of 

Pilate. 

6.  Tell  something  of  the  two  Herod  Agrippas. 

7.  What  various  temples  stood  on  Mt.  Morlah?     What  of 

the  place  held  by  the  temple  in  the  life  and  affec- 
tions of  Israel? 

8.  Name  the  most  important  feasts  observed  by  the  Jews. 

9.  Tell  of  the  membership  of  the  Sanhedrin. 

10.  What  was  the  origin  of  the  synagogue?     What  was  its 

object? 

11.  What  Hebrew  Scripture  was  in  use  in  Christ's  day? 

12.  What    was    the    origin    and   what   the   nature    of   the 

Talmud? 

13.  Tell  of  the  work  and  the  influence  of  the  scribes. 

14.  Describe  the  two  "schools  of  theology." 

19.     Tell  of  the  Pharisees  and  indicate  their  attitude  toward 
Jesus. 

16.  What   were   important   elements   in    the   belief  of  the 

Sadducees? 

17.  Who  were  the  Essenes?     Did  John   the  Baptist  hold 

membership  in  this  sect? 

18.  Who  were  the  publicans  and  what  was  their  general 

standing? 

19.  Tell  of  agriculture  in  Palestine. 

20.  Describe  the  position  of  women  in  the  days  of  our  Lord. 

21.  Concerning   the   destruction   of   Jerusalem:      (1)    Give 

date;    (2)    name  the  conqueror;    (3)    indicate   the 
importance  of  the  event. 


CHAPTER  III. 

1-3.   Tell  something  of  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth. 
4.     Tell  of  John's  life  of  preparation  in  the  deserts. 
6.     Describe   the  wilderness  of  Judea  and   tell  of  John's 
ministry  there. 


Questions  for  Review.  275 

0.     Tell  of  John's  "rebuking  the  age."     Whence  did  John 
receive  his  authority  and  his  baptism? 

7.  Set  forth  John's  picture  of  the  Messiah. 

8.  Why  did  Jesus  seek  baptism  at  the  hands  of  John? 

9.  Tell  of  the  "Commission  from  Jerusalem." 

10.  John  identified  Jesus  as   Messiah.     Where?     In  what 

words? 

11.  Quote  words  of  John  which  indicate  his  freedom  from 

jealousy. 

12.  For  what  did  John  denounce  Herod  and  Herodias? 

13.  Why  did  Herod  shut  up  John  in  prison? 

14.  Tell  of  John's  message  to  Jesus. 

15.  What  was  Christ's  estimate  of  John? 

16.  Tell  of  the  death  of  John  the  Baptist. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

1.  What  are  the  sources  of  our  knowledge  of  the  life  and 

work  of  Jesus? 

2.  What  is  your  own  impression  as  regards  the  supernat- 

ural in  Jesus  himself  and  in  his  works? 

3.  What  does  the  author  mean  by  saying  that  "there  is  no 

life  of  Jesus"? 

4.  What  Scripture  reasons  have  we  for  believing  that  Je- 

sus is  the  Son  of  God? 

5.  Prove  that  Jesus  was  "the  Son  of  man." 

6.  What  was  the  message  of  Gabriel  to  Mary? 

7.  Describe  the  meeting  between  Mary  and  Elizabeth. 

8.  Tell  of  Gabriel's  message  to  Joseph. 

9.  Why  do  we  fix  upon  B.C.  5  as  the  probable  date  of  the 

birth  of  Christ? 
10.     Tell  of  "the  place"  of  our  Lord's  birth. 
11-15.  Indicate   the   five   groups   who    interested   themselves 

in  the  Christ-child. 
16, 17.  Give  reasons  for  the  flight  into  Egypt  and  for  the 

return  to  Nazareth. 

18.  Describe  the  home  and  circle  in  which  Jesus  grew  up. 

19,  20.  Describe  the  one  glimpse  which  we  get  of  the  boyhood 

of  Jesus. 
21.     Jesus  was  known  as  "the  carpenter."    What  significance 
has  this  fact  for  all  honest  toilers? 


276  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 


CHAPTER  V. 

1, 2.  What  was  the  length  of  our  Lord's  ministry  ?    At  what 
date  did  our  Lord  begin  his  ministry? 

3.  Indicate  the  first  act  of  Jesus  as  Messiah  and  show  the 

significance  of  this  act? 

4.  With  what  weapon  did  Jesus  triumph  over  Satan? 

5.  Relate    incidents    which    mark    the    beginnings    of    our 

Lord's  ministry. 

6.  Tell  of  the  rebuff  at  Jerusalem  and  of  the  single  excep- 

tion. 

7.  Tell  of  the  success  in  Judea. 

8.  Describe  "the  harvest  in  Samaria." 

9.  What   city   did   Jesus   choose   as   headquarters   for   his 

work  in  Galilee?    Why  did  he  not  choose  Nazareth? 

10.  What  leading  charge  was  urged  against  Jesus  by   his 

enemies,  especially  in  Jerusalem? 

11.  Tell  of  the  choice  of  the  apostles,  and  indicate  the  sig- 

nificance of  this  act. 

12.  The  sermon  on  the  Mount :     Where  was  it  delivered  ? 

To  whom?    With  what  purpose? 

14.  Indicate  the  attitude  of  the  Pharisees  toward  Jesus  and 

state  the  grievous  charge  which  they  openly  brought 
against  him. 

15.  What  impression  was  made  on  the  family  of  Jesus  by 

this  charge  of  the  Pharisees? 

16.  Discuss  Jesus  as  a  teacher,  noting  especially  his  use  of 

parables. 

17.  Jesus  sent  out  the  twelve  by  twos:    For  what  purpose? 

With  what  result? 

18.  Tell  of  "the  outcome  in  Galilee." 

19.  Jesus  gave  "special  training  for  the  twelve."     Show  the 

conditions  which  opened  the  way  for  this  training 
and  indicate  circumstances  favorable  to  such  train- 
ing. 

20.  After  a  long  absence  Jesus  returned  to  Jerusalem  for 

the  feast  of  tabernacles.  Tell  of  his  reception  at 
this  time. 

22.  Which  of  the  Gospels  alone  records  the  raising  of  Laza- 

rus? Give  a  possible  reason  for  the  silence  of  the 
synoptics  here. 

23.  Trace  the  movements  of  Jesus  from  his  stay  In  the  MUs 

of  Ephraim. 


Questions  for  Review.  277 


CHAPTER  VI. 

1.  What  was  the  state  of  public  opinion  toward  Jesus  as 

the  passover  approached? 

2.  Wbat  in  the  triumphal  entry  indicates  the  courage  of 

Jesus  ? 

3.  Name  two  significant  events  which  occurred  Monday  of 

the  last  week  in  the  life  of  Jesus. 

4.  Indicate  some  events  of  Jesus'  last  day  in  the  temple. 

5.  Of  what  chiefly  did  Jesus  talk  in  the  afternoon  sitting 

on  Mt.  Olivet? 

6.  Tell  of  the  of^er  of  Judas  to  betray  Jesus  and  indicate 

the  motives  which  actuated  him. 

7.  How  did  Jesus  rebuke  the  pride  of  the  apostles  during 

the  last  passover  supper? 

8.  By  what  sign  did  Jesus  declare  that  Judas  should  be- 

tray him? 

9.  Of  what  were  the  bread  and  wine  the  picture?    Of  what 

the  memorial?    Of  what  the  pledge? 

10.  Where  do  we  have  record  of  Jesus'  farewell  discourse? 

11.  Tell  of  the  struggle  in  the  garden. 

12.  By  what  sign  did  Judas  betray  Jesus?    Describe  Peter's 

effort  to  defend  his  Lord. 

13.  Was  Jesus  tried  by  Annas? 

14.  Show  that  the  trial  by  the  Sanhedrin  was  a  farce. 

15.  How  did  Peter  strengthen  his  assertion  that  he  never 

knew  the  Lord? 

16.  Describe  the  manner  of  Judas'  death. 

17.  What  charges  did  the  Jews  urge  against  Jesus  before 

Pilate? 

18.  What  prompted  Pilate  to  send  Jesus  to  Herod  Antipas? 

19.  What  final  efCort  did  Pilate  make  to  secure  the  release 

of  Jesus? 

20.  What  most  probably  was  the  location  of  Calvary? 

21.  Relate  some  incidents  which  occurred  while  Jesus  was 

on  the  Cross. 

22.  What  caused  the  death  of  Jesus? 

23.  What  precaution  was  taken  by  the  Sanhedrin  in  connec- 

tion with  the  tomb  of  Jesus? 


278  studies  in  the  Neio  Testament. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

1.  Indicate  the  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 

tion. 

2.  Show  how  the  doubt  of  the  disciples  makes  it  easier  for 

us  to  believe. 

3.  Suggest  some  theories  by  which  unbelievers  have  sought 

to  explain  away  the  resurrection. 

4.  How  long  did  Christ  remain  in  the  tomb? 

5,  6.  Tell  of  two  visits  made  by  the  women  to  the  tomb  of 
Jesus. 

7.  Tell  of  the  visit  of  Peter  and  John  to  the  tomb. 

8.  Tell  of  Mary's  coming  to  the  tomb. 

9.  What  report  was  borne  by  the  guard  to  the  Sanhedrin? 

10.  What  of  the  theory  that  the  women  started  the  belief 

in  the  resurrection? 

11.  Relate  the  circumstances  under  which  Jesus  appeared 

to  Cleopas  and  his  companion. 

12.  What  significance  was  attached   to  the  appearance  to 

Peter  ? 

13.  Name  the  five  appearances  of  Jesus  during  the  first  day 

of  his  resurrection  life. 

14.  Tell   something   of   the   appearance   "the   next   Sunday 

night." 

15.  To  whom  did  Jesus  appear  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee? 

16.  What  threefold  duty  as  stated  by  the  author  is  set  forth 

in   the    commission    as    given   on   the   mountain   in 
Galilee  ? 

17.  What  led  to   the  conversion  of  James,   the  brother  or 

Jesus? 

18.  Which  of  the  evangelists  records  the  commission  given 

just  before  the  ascension? 
10.     With  what  promise  did  the  angels  comfort  the  disciples 
when  Jesus  had  ascended? 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1.  Indicate  the  purpose  of  the  Book  of  Acts. 

2.  What  was  the  promise  left  by  Jesus  for  whose  fulfill- 

ment the  disciples  waited  and  prayed  after  his  as- 
cension ? 

3.  Tell  of  the  election  of  the  "New  Apostle." 


Questions  for  Review.  279 

4.  Tell  some  things  which  occurred  on  "the  day  of  pente- 

cost,"  and  show  what  claims  were  made  by  Peter. 

5.  Indicate  some  marks  of  a  happy  church  mentioned  in 

Luke's  picture  of  church  life  following  pentecost. 

6.  Tell  of  the  miracle  which  led  to  the  persecution  of  the 

disciples  by  the  Pharisees.    (Acts  3  :  1 — 4  :  31.) 

7.  Tell  of  the  liberality   of  Joseph   Barnabas  and   of  the 

perfidy  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira. 

8.  Describe  the  "prosperity"  which  followed  the  death  of 

Ananias  and  Sapphira. 

9.  Show  how,  during  the  "renewed  persecution,"  Gamaliel 

saved  the  disciples. 

10.  Relate  the  circumstances  which  (probably)  gave  rise  to 

the  office  of  the  deacon. 

11.  Wherein  is  the  significance  of  the  statement  that  "a 

great  company  of  the  priests  were  obedient  to  the 
faith." 

12.  What  in  Stephen's  speech  angered  the  Pharisees? 

13.  Tell  of  Saul's  persecution  of  the  church. 

14.  Tell  something  of  the  work  of  Philip  in  Samaria. 

15.  Indicate  the  significance  of  the  conversion  and  baptism 

of  the  household  of  Cornelius. 

16.  Who  made  protest  against  Peter  in  connection  with  the 

baptism  of  Cornelius?    Why? 

17.  Show  how  the  power  of  the  state  was  first  used  against 

the  apostles. 

18.  Tell  something  of  the  Epistle  of  James. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

1.  Concerning   Saul's   persecution   of   the  believers:     De- 

scribe  (1)  Saul's  motive;  (2)  his  zeal  and  energy. 

2.  Give  arguments  to  prove  that  Jesus  actually  appeared  to 

Saul  on  the  way  to  Damascus. 

3.  Tell  how  Ananias  was  induced  to  go  to  Saul  at  the 

house  of  Judas. 

4.  What    became    the    central    thought    in    Saul's    new 

theology  ? 
6.     How  did  Saul  probably  occupy  himself  during  his  stay 

in  Arabia? 
t.    Tell  of  Saul's  departure  from  Damascus  after  his  return 

to  that  city  from  Arabia. 


280  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

7.  Tell  of  Saul's  reception  in  Jerusalem  on  his  return  to 

that  city  after  his  conversion. 

8.  What  were   the   fruits   of   Saul's  labor   in  Tarsus  and 

Cilicia  ? 

9.  What  was  the  occasion  of  Saul's  coming  to  labor  in 

Antioch? 


CHAPTER  X. 

1.  Concerning  the  first  great  tour,  tell — 

(a)  Of  preparation  for  the  missionary  movement ; 

(b)  Of  the  call  of  the  first  missionaries ; 

(c)  Of  the  first  mission  band ; 

(d)  Of  the  course  pursued,  and  why ; 

(e)  Of  the  reception  on  the  return  to  Antioch. 

2.  What  issue  was  made  by  the  Pharisees  against  Barna- 

bas and  Saul  ? 

3.  What  decision  was   reached  by   the  Great  Council   in 

Jerusalem  ? 

4.  What  was  the  point  of  difference  between  Saul  on  the 

one  hand   and   Peter  and  Barnabas   on  the  other 
hand? 

5.  The  second  great  tour — 

(a)  What  gave  rise  to  the  dispute  over  John  Mark? 

(b)  What  was  Paul's  first  work  in  his  second  mission- 

ary journey? 

(c)  Tell  something  of  Timothy. 

(d)  Why  did  not  Paul  push  on  westward  to  EJphesus? 

(e)  What  vision  came  to  Paul  at  Troas? 

(f)  What  miracle  did  Paul  work  in  Philippi,  and  with 

what  results? 

(g)  Tell  something  of  Paul's  experience  in  Thessalonica. 
(h)  What  of  the  attitude  of  the  Bereans  toward  Paul's 

message? 
(i)    What  in  Paul's  sermon  repelled  the  men  of  Athens? 
(J)    Describe  conditions  as  Paul  encountered  them  at 

Corinth. 
(k)  For  what  purpose  did  Paul  write  I  and  II  Thessa- 

loQians? 


Questions  for  Review.  281 


CHAPTER  XI. 

1.  How  many  missionary  tours  did  Paul  make? 

2.  Into  how  many  groups  do  Paul's  Epistles  fall? 

3.  Name  some  of  Paul's  associates  in  missionary  work. 

4.  What  countries  did  Paul  first  visit  on  his  third  mission- 

ary tour? 

5.  Tell  something  of  Apollos. 

6.  Three  years  in  Ephesus — 

(a)  Did  the  twelve  "misinformed  disciples  of  John  the 
Baptist"  have  any  connection  with  Apollos? 

(b,  c)   In  what  two  places  did  Paul  preach  in  Ephesus? 

(d,  e)  Give  incidents  which  indicate  the  influence  at- 
tained by  Paul  in  Ephesus. 

7.  Tell  of  the  division  in  the  Corinthian  church  which  Paul 

rebukes  in  I  Corinthians. 

8.  Why  did  Paul  push  on  from  Troas  to  Macedonia? 

9.  Tell  something  of  the  nature  of  the  Second  Epistle  to 

the  Corinthians. 

10.  Why  did  Paul  go  to  Illyricum? 

11.  How  long  did  Paul  remain  in  Corinth? 

12.  What  does  Paul  in  Galatians  declare   to  be  the  very 

esscence  of  the  gospel? 

13.  What  thesis  does  Paul  lay  down  in  Romans? 

14.  To  what  city  did  Paul  go  up  at  the  conclusion  of  his 

third  missionary  journey? 


CHAPTER  XII. 

1.  What  reception  was  accorded  Paul  at  Jerusalem? 

2.  What  plan  was  adopted  on  Paul's  part  to  remove  preju- 

dices of  Jewish  Christians  in  Jerusalem? 

3.  What  false  charge  was  brought  by  Jews  from  Ephesus 

against  Paul? 

4.  Indicate  the  spirit  of  the  Sanhedrin  toward  Paul. 

5.  Tell   how  the   Lord  cheered   Paul   the  night  after  his 

trial  before  the  Sanhedrin. 
C.     Show    how    Paul  was   rescued   from   conspirators   who 

sought  his  death. 
7.     What  charges  did  Tertullus  ou  behalf  of  tbe  Banhe4rln 

bring  against  Paul  ? 


282  studies  in  the  New  Testament. 

8.  Why  did  Felix  ask  Herod  Agrlppa  and  Bernlce  to  bear 

Paul? 
9, 10, 11.  At  what  points  did  Paul  stop  on  his  Journey  to 
Rome? 

12.  Tell  of   the   conditions   of  Paul's  life  during  the   two 

years  spent  as  a  prisoner  in  Rome. 

13.  What  is  the  keynote  of  Phillppians? 

14.  Tell  of  the  Epistle  to  Philemon. 

15.  What  question  is  uppermost  in  Colossians? 

16.  What  was  the  nature  of  the  letter  to  the  Ephesians? 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

1.  What  are  our  sources  of  knowledge  concerning  the  last 

days  of  Paul? 

2.  Was  Paul  ever  really  tried  in  Rome? 

3, 4.  Tell  of  Paul's  probahle  whereabouts  after  his  release  In 
Rome. 

5.  On  whom  did  Nero  lay  the  blame  for  the  burning  of 

Rome?    With  what  result? 

6.  How  did  Paul  seek  to  correct  evils  In  Crete? 

7, 8.  Indicate  other  places  in  which  Paul  probably  labored 
at  this  time. 

9.  What  was  Paul's  purpose  in  writing  I  Timothy?     (1 : 

3,  4.) 

10.  What  of  Cretan  character  as  indicated  in  the  Epistle 

to  Titus? 

11.  At  whose  instigation  was  Paul  now  arrested,  and  on 

what  charge? 
12, 13.  Describe  the  conditions  of  Paul's  last  Imprisonment 

in  Rome. 
14.    Tell  something    of    the    "last    Epistle   of   the   Giant 

Apostle." 
19.    Tell  of  Paul's  death. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

1.  Name  the  general,  or  Catholic,  Epistles. 

2.  What  do  we  know  of  the  later  ministry  of  Peter? 

3.  The  First  Epistle  of  Peter — 

(a)  Are  there  serious  objections  to  the  genuineness  of 
this  Epistle? 


Questions  for  Review.  288 

(b)  From  what  place  did  Peter  write  this  Eplitle? 

(c)  What  was  the  probable  date  of  this  writing? 

(d)  To  whom  was  the  Epistle  addressed? 

(e)  What  seems  to  be  the  aim  of  the  Epistle? 

4.  The  Epistle  of  Jude — 

(a)  Who  was  the  author  of  this  Epistle? 

(b)  What  of  its  date? 

5.  Second  Epistle  of  Peter:     give  its  date;  Its  destina- 

tion; its  general  nature. 

6.  What  was   the  probable  place  and  manner  of  Peter's 

death? 

CHAPTER  XV. 

1.  What  can  you  say  as  to  unity  of  teaching  in  the  New 

Testament?  ^  .      ,..       ,     *k- 

2.  Say  something  as  to  the  diversity  of  teaching  in  the 

New  Testament. 

3.  What  can  be  said  as  to  the  authorship  of  the  Epistle 

to  the  Hebrews?  ^     „  ^         • 

4  What  of  the  destination  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews? 

5  What  of  the  place  of  writing  of  this  Epistle? 

e'.     What  was   the   probable   date   of   the   writing  of   this 
Epistle?  «_.  .,      4.      «.v^ 

7.  Say    something    as    to   "style"   in   the    Epistle   to    the 

T-T  pY\  t»p  ^ff  g 

8.  Discuss   briefly   the   "occasion"  of   the   Epistle  to   the 

Hebrews. 

9.  The  Line  of  Argument. 

Trace  the  course  of  the  argument  as  suggested  by  tne 
author  in  eleven  points.  ^ 

(The  Epistle  should  be  carefully  read  with  the  author  s 
outline  as  a  guide.) 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

1      Tell  of  the  life  and  character  of  John- 

2*.     What  books  of  the  New  Testament  are  attributed  to 

3      What  was  the  probable  date  of  the  Epistles  of  John? 
4*.    Jerusalem  was  destroyed.    When?    With  what  result  to 
Christianity? 


284  studies  m  the  New  Testament. 

5.     Indicate  the  spread  of  gnosticism. 
6,  7,  8.  Certify  that  you  have  carefully  read  the  First,  Second 

and   Third   Epistles   of    John   in   the   light   of   the 

author's  treatment. 
9.     Which  book  in  the  New  Testament  was  probably  the 

last  written? 

10.  Tell  of  persecutions  under  Domitian. 

11.  What  was  "the  purpose  of  the  Apocalypse"? 

12.  What  is  the  meaning  of  "apocalypse"?     Why  this  type 

of  literature? 

13.  What  as  to  the  millennium  in  the  Book  of  Revelation? 

What  great  doctrine  is  said  to  be  in  danger  of  being 
obscured  by  rival  theories  of  the  millennium? 

14.  To  whom  was  the  Apocalypse  addressed? 

15.  Indicate  practical  aspects  of  the  Apocalypse? 

16.  Wbat  final  outcome  is  predicted  In  the  Apocalypse? 


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Studies  in  the  New  Testament;  a  handbook 


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